Coca Cola was Invented on this Day in 1886

Coca Cola was invented on this day in 1886. That's right! Perhaps the most popular soft drink came to be 138 years ago. Dr. John Styth Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta, is credited with coming up with the sugary formula. He created a syrup in a brass pot while in his backyard. He was actually attempting to make some sort of medicine. Our guess is he was trying to make cough syrup. There are stories about how actual cocaine may or may not have been part of the original beverage. We think, if true, the cocaine was later replaced with caffeine for that mid-afternoon jolt. A general view of a Coca-Cola aluminum bottle. COCA COLA WAS INVENTED AND THE COLA WARS BEGAN However, Coke was not the first soft drink on the market. The first soft drinks were non carbonated and appeared in the 17th century. They were made from water and lemon juice and used honey as a sweetener. Even Dr. Pepper is a year older than Coke. It was invented in 1885 by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas in 1885. Eventually, Pepsi, which would become Coke's number one competitor, arrived in 1893. Not much after Coca Cola was invented on this day in 1886, the Cola wars would grow in the 1900's and continue today. In fact, they are major advertisers across the sports landscape today. Go to a live sporting event and you will surely see a billboard or see/hear a soft drink advertising the event as a major sponsor. Now, when you go to the store there are literally hundreds of soft drinks and numerous variations. There are diet versions with artificial sweeteners. There are non-caffeinated versions. Extra caffeine too. And numerous flavors and brands. And many of them advertise during sporting events as well. Speaking of sports, join us every afternoon on Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida.