V8 revving 75 years

Wow! You could've had a V8 in 1933!

The drink that's had us slapping our heads for years was invented in 1933 by W.G. Peacock, the founder of New England Product Company. In those days, the company manufactured individual vegetable juices under the name "Vege-min."

Even then folks were balking at consuming their veggies and his concoctions sat on the shelf. So Peacock began blending the juices into a single beverage, which eventually was shortened to V8 and sold to Campbell Soup Co. in Camden.

These days, there are all sorts of variations on V8, including citrus fruits. For the record, here are NINE veggies in the original cocktail: tomatoes, beets, celery, carrots, lettuce, watercress, parsley, lettuce and spinach.