born in hortonville, wisconsin, nagreen was a 15-year-old vendor at the 1885 seymour fair. after not experiencing success selling meatballs, he had an idea. knowing that the visitors to the fair would be hungry after gazing at the exhibits but wouldn't be able to walk and eat, he smashed a meatball and placed it between two slices of bread. his idea was a success and he returned every year until his death in appleton, wisconsin, 1951.