The modern athletic supporter, also known as the "jock strap" or "jockstrap," was developed in 1874 by C.F. Bennett of Chicago as a relief for bicycle messengers in Boston who were having their genitals hammered into oblivion riding over the rough cobblestone streets. Prior to the development of a device called a "suspensory"* in the 1820s, there was no protection for males from the agony of crushing delicate portions of their bodies when bouncing on saddles, wooden wagon seats, and the like.
In tribute to the original use of the invention, Bennett formed the Bike Web Manufacturing Company (now known simply as the "Bike Company"), which has retained its position for over a century as the major source of athletic supporters in the world (although St. Louis Cardinals fans may disagree).
One version of the jock strap marketed in the early 1900s was the Heidelberg Electric Belt, which provided a source of current "down there" for the treatment of insomnia and other ailments. I personally would opt to drink a glass of warm milk or count sheep instead.
Jock straps now come in a wide range of styles and materials depending on the fashion taste of the wearer as well as the particular activity for which it is worn. The video of the demonstration of a bulletproof version, "Nutshellz," is excruciating to watch.
*You can see General Custer's suspensory on display at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Whether or not that experience by itself would be worth a trip to Montana is a decision only you can make.
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| 1941 BIKE WEB MANUFACTURING CO. AD Photo courtesy Wikimedia |
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