Where ‘Jimmies' came from

From a Boston Guardian article by Jonathan Brand

(Robert Whitcomb, New England Diary’s editor, is The Guardian’s chairman)

Newcomers to Boston’s many unusual words and phrases are often perplexed about their origins. Those indulging in ice cream in the city might sometimes wish that they had brought along a personal cryptanalyst, a number 2 pencil and Advil.

When ordering, for example, a large Green Monstah sundae they must learn to expect the final topping to be Jimmies, aka, chocolate sprinkles. This beloved Bostonian word has its origins back in the 1940s during a young boy’s battle against cancer and a feature on the radio.

Here’s the whole story.