Pittsburgh's Historical Connection To The Traditional Ice Cream Sandwich

In what has become the unofficial anthem of the game of baseball, the famous 1908 song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" enthusiastically suggests, "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack." Well, back in the 1940s at Pittsburgh's venerable Forbes Field, you could have added ice cream sandwiches to that list of historic baseball foods, as they had just become popular.

Reportedly, vendor Jerry Newberg first began selling his tasty creation of vanilla ice cream between two chocolate wafers — the version of the ice cream sandwich most people probably picture — at Forbes Field back in the 1940s. On top of that, at five cents apiece, Newberg's ice cream treats were about comparable to both peanuts and Cracker Jack in price, with the latter generally being sold for a nickel. 

Although Newberg's claim to have invented this specific version of the ice cream sandwich has not been independently verified, his contribution is widely recognized in discussions about the treat's history. His creamy sandwiches became a staple at the ballpark and most certainly helped popularize this delicious combination more generally.

Looking a bit beyond Jerry Newberg's debut of ice cream sandwiches where it relates to baseball's concession history, the treat's origins can actually be traced back to the late 19th century in New York City. Vendors there sold early versions known as "hokey pokeys," which consisted of ice cream pressed between two pieces of paper. This innovative treat quickly gained popularity among the working class, offering respite from the summer heat. Over the years, the treat evolved, with early recipes featuring vanilla ice cream sandwiched between slices of sponge cake. However, the common complaint with these early versions was that they were often messy, as the ice cream melted shortly after the first few bites.

A significant turning point occurred in 1928 when a San Francisco vendor placed ice cream between oatmeal cookies and dipped it in chocolate. This paved the way for cookie-based ice cream sandwiches and set the stage for the modern version known today, as well as plenty of creative variants (ever tried using croissants as your ice cream sandwich base?) There's even an ice cream sandwich that Italians enjoy as a breakfast treat; it consists of a brioche bun filled with chilled gelato or granita.