In 1985, 42-year-old A. B. Nerdling used his small Cincinnati house as the world headquarters for a novel organization. Nerdling, who sold automotive accessories by mail and was known to friends by his given name, Bruce Chapman, charged $5 for like-minded people around the world to join a group he called the International Organization of Nerds. A subscription came with a membership card, a wallet calendar, a copy of Big Nerd News, and a sticker entitling the holder to a discount at Hertz Rent A Car.
By 1988, over 7,000 people had taken him up on his offer.
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