Apple core

An apple core is the center part of an apple. When an apple is consumed, often the core is not eaten as it is woodier, contains seeds, and is sometimes less sweet. This remaining part is then discarded.

The Apple Corps company name is a homonym.

The game proceeds as follows: a child finishes eating an apple, then displays the core for the other children to see. The child then says "Apple core!"

One of the other children replies: "," "Say No More" or "Baltimore."

The first child then responds: "Who's your friend?"

And the second child responds with the name of another child in the group.

Upon hearing the name of the "friend", the first child then throws the apple core at the named child as he yells, "Not no more!"

The origin of the game, like many schoolyard games, is obscure.

Appearances in popular culture

The gag shows up in the Johnny Appleseed segment of the Disney film "Melody Time". During the square dance sequence, the villagers sing, "Applecore? Baltimore! Bite that apple to "Apple core" plays as a running gag in the 1952 Disney animated short "Donald Applecore". In the film, Donald Duck runs an apple orchard, and is vexed by Chip and Dale, who not only steal his apples, but bait him into a game of "apple core" in which he predictably names himself as his friend, and he says "Baltimore" as the first reply to "apple core".

"Apple core" was also played once in the "Scooby Doo"–crossover "Johnny Bravo" episode "Bravo Dooby-Doo", between Johnny, Shaggy, and the ghostly gardener. The gardener names himself (really herself, as it was Johnny's aunt who dislikes him) as the friend, and promptly gets hit in the face with the apple core.

"Apple Core" is also the name of a jazz standard written by Gerry Mulligan.

External links

* [http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2003/09/12/324.aspx Jim Hill Media] -- article featuring a discussion of the history of the gag