When did Bob Hope get involved with Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

[Hawkee]

I noticed that Bob Hope was involved with Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades till he died in the 2010's. Because they used to mention Bob Hope quite a bit during each parade and I often wondered how he started getting involved with Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? I know that on two of the parades Bob Hope actually appeared with his wife in either the 2005 parade and in the 1994 parade and when Bob died Macy's honored him with a special float in his memory. I also learned that Bob Hope and his wife created a special award that was given to one drummer in one high school band that performed in the parade of a scholarship and I thought it was nice