Georgia native Jodie “Joe” Thrasher, Sr. came to Ocean City in 1930 to run a baseball pitching machine game in the Pier building. He didn’t begin his French fry stand until 1939 when he began cooking his fries in frying pans using cottonseed oil.

When cottonseed oil became unavailable during World War II, Thrasher switched to peanut oil and when combined with Idaho potatoes and deep-fat fryers, the result was legendary.

Today Thrasher’s Fries is one of Ocean City’s most famous and recognizable institutions, but few know that it started 85 years ago with a pitching machine game on the Boardwalk.

Photo courtesy of Jodie “Joe” Thrasher, Jr.