Antonio Pasin

In 1927 wanting to make a wagon affordable for every child, Pasin adopted steel stamping mass production techniques inspired by the automobile industry, earning him the nickname "Little Ford".^[2]

His first wagon was called the Radio Flyer, named after his amazement of the radio and the wonders of flight. He renamed his company the Radio Steel and Manufacturing Company in 1930. In 1933 he commissioned a 45-foot art-deco statue of a boy riding a wagon above a mini 25-cent souvenir wagon store at the Chicago World's Fair.^[1] His company became the largest producer of toy wagons, producing 1,500 wagons a day, despite the Great Depression. Business grew with the baby boom generation.^[1] Pasin's son took over the business and renamed the company Radio Flyer, expanding its offerings to include wheelbarrows, garden carts, and outdoor furniture.^[1]

Pasin died in 1990. He was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 2003.^[3] In 2016, his 107-year-old widow passed away.^[1]

• Radio Flyer Heritage