Why is New York also called the "Big Apple"?

[Rebecca L.]

I don't know why the famous business city New York has the name "Big Apple". Was there so many apple stalls in New York in the past or it has a story? Please help me out......

[Yankee]

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That is a question that a lot of people ask, Rebecca.
The background for the nicknames of many other US cities is much easier. For example, Detroit is called the "Motor City" and "Motown" because of all the automobile companies located in that area. But the reason New York is called the Big Apple is a subject of debate.

This is the story that the government of New York City has apparently decided is "officially" correct:

"According to David Ellis's Lonely Planet 'New York City' guide (1st edition, Sept. 1997, p. 11), NYC was named so not because of jazz musicians, but because a writer covering horse races in 1920 (named John Fitzgerald) repeated in the 'Morning Telegraph' what stable hands in New Orleans referred to a trip to a NY racecourse as the 'Big Apple', or greatest reward for any thoroughbred. The city government has agreed to this story, and all public tourist literature has been amended to reflect this."

Source: http://www.ny.com/histfacts/apple.html

Here are some more links for you:
http://www.salwen.com/apple.html
http://en.allexperts.com/q/New-York-112/NYC-aka-Big-Apple.htm
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[Conchita]

The origin of the nickname 'Big Apple' doesn't seem very clear. Wikipedia gives some information on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Apple

[Jamie (K)]

[diverhank]