Local communities can also play a part in the Hero Wagon story. Beginning now, anyone has the option to donate a Hero Wagon by visiting starlight.org/wagons. For more information about the Hero Wagon, please visit radioflyer.com/hero-wagon. The 45-foot frozen ride on toy tall Coaster Boy wood and plaster statue of a young boy and wagon was constructed by Radio Flyer for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, Century of Progress. This playground sculpture of an icon from the past is dedicated to the children of the future.
Eventually Pasin found a job that used his woodworking skills, finishing pianos in a piano factory. By the time he had been in the United States for three years, he had saved enough to buy his own woodworking frozen ride on toy tools and to rent one room to use as a shop. In the evenings, Pasin worked alone, crafting children’s wooden wagons. During the day, he walked the streets of Chicago peddling his samples.
In 1977, the company improved its core product with several patented safety features. These included a new ball joint between the wagon handle and the undercarriage in which fingers could not get pinched, and a controlled turning radius to prevent accidental tipping. It also deployed new toys, such as the Fireball 2000, a 1970s children’s car. In 1997, Radio Flyer marked 80 years in the wagon business.
Starlight Children’s Foundation is a 5013 organization that delivers happiness to seriously ill children and their families. To learn more and to help Starlight deliver happiness to seriously ill kids razor ride ons this year, visit and follow Starlight on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Antonio’s biggest bet came in 1933, when he took out a $30,000 loan for a Radio Flyer exhibit at the Chicago World’s Fair.
The $1800 M880 is a mid-tail cargo bike, capable of hauling 300 pounds. It has five-level pedal assist, an LCD display with an odometer, a 500-watt rear hub motor, both a brake and an LED headlight, and a 48-volt, 720-watt-hour battery. It can reach 20 miles per hour, and cruise 30 to 50 miles on a charge .
Adults who garden also love this wagon, which can hold up to 150 pounds of cargo. There is also a skating park, a carousel, an ice cream stand, and a myriad of playground equipment for kids. The wagon is really cool; its bed is padded and its handle is a slide. A near-century goes by, replete with ultra-cute photos of children being pulled by friends, siblings or parents in Radio Flyers. One hundred million were built, and the company put a billion wheels on the road. But in 1997, Antonio’s grandson Robert became CEO, and he soon realized the unprofitable, privately held company needed a thorough modernizing—or it would be out of business in a few years.
By this time, the company was a distinct anomaly in the U.S. toy industry, because it had remained privately owned and was still run by the family of its founder. Mario Pasin had succeeded his father Antonio, and Mario’s sons Robert and Paul also were involved in the firm. Larger companies had made competitive inroads in the wagon business. One competitor was Rubbermaid, mostly known for its kitchenware, but which produced a line of plastic wagons through its Little Tikes division.
Then, when I have my young nephews for the day, it can completely replace the stroller and they get the fun of a stroller wagon ride, while I get room for all our family’s drinks and gear. For many people, an antique Radio Flyer wagon brings back fond memories of their childhood. A true piece of classic Americana, the wagons hold a special place in the hearts of the millions of children who played with them over the years.
“Her favorite thing to do when she is admitted is to go on wagon rides. That’s the one thing we can do every time to pass the time and to keep her happy and to help keep her as comfortable during treatments,” Laura said. Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
Robert’s biggest challenge has been reinventing the company, which he’s done by focusing exclus‐ ively on children’s toys, expanding product development and moving manufacturing abroad. Located on Chicago’s Far West Side, Radio Flyer is the world’s leading wagon maker, manufacturing high-quality products for children since 1917. The makers of the original little red wagon, Radio Flyer is the only company to produce plastic, steel and wood wagons.