“Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?”/“Because he was outstanding in his field.”

A popular scarecrow pun is:
 
Q: Why did the scarecrow win a promotion?
A: Because he was outstanding in his field.
 
“Why did the scarecrow get a Nobel Prize? Because he was outstanding in his field” was posted to the newsgroup alt.humor on November 23, 1999.
 
   
Google Groups: alt.humor
is this a joke?
Peter Besley
11/23/99
Why did the scarecrow get a Nobel Prize?
Because he was outstanding in his field.
 
Google Groups: uk.local.cumbria
Goodnite all
Ken Battersby
2/14/01
(...)
Or the other old one….
 
“I say, I say, I say.  Why did the scarecrow receive the Nobel prize?”
“I don’t know.  Why did the scarecrow receive the Nobel prize?”
“For outstanding achievement in his field.”
 
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
Kids Puns of the Weak 05-04-04
Stan Kegel
5/6/04
(...)
Why did the scarecrow win a Nobel Peace Prize?
He was outstanding in his field! (Daily Groaner)
 
Twitter
Jon Wheatley
‏@jon
why did the scarecrow win an award?
because he was out standing in his field. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL
10:01 PM - 26 Feb 2008
 
Google Books
The Mammoth Book of Really Silly Jokes
By Geoff Tibballs
London: Constable & Robinson Ltd
2011
Pg. 99:
Why did the scarecrow win an award?
Because he was outstanding in his field.
 
Google Books
Best Ever Classroom Jokes:
Because some of us never grow up
By Mike Haskins
New York, NY: Pavilion Books
2015
Pg. ?:
Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?
The farmer had found him outstanding in his field.
   
reddit
Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?
submitted August 18, 2016 by iceberger3
He was outstanding in his field.