Wham-O! The Birth Of The Frisbee

On January 13th, 1957, toy company Wham-O began producing the first iteration of the Frisbee, a rounded plastic object that at that point was called the Pluto Platter. A century earlier, New England undergraduates began enjoying pies crafted by the Frisbie Baking Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut; when the last crumb had been devoured, the empty tins were used as flying discs, spun through the air and caught by the high-spirited students.

 

Flash-forward to 1948, when a California inventor, Walter Frederick Morrison, developed a plastic version of the tin plate that could cover greater ground with improved speed and accuracy. Because of the public’s interest in flying saucers and outer space, he dubbed his invention the Pluto Platter. Within a few years, Wham-O approached Morrison to distribute his device; under the name Frisbee (altering the spelling of the bakery, which went out of business in 1958), the toy became a sensation, with Morrison gaining more than $1 million in royalties.

 

The Frisbee Circa 1966

In decades to come, the Frisbee would become an American sporting icon, with its curved surface carrying advertisements for concerns ranging from President Ford’s re-election campaign to Macintosh.

 

The toy was also the first in a series of epic successes for Wham-O, which went to distribute such mid-century classics as the hula-hoop, the Slip-n-Slide and the Super Ball. Today, in honor of one of the country’s favorite pastimes, DYR salutes the Frisbee and the ads that sent its message hurtling through the sky.

 

Super Pro Frisbee Ad By Wham-O

On January 13th, 1957, toy company Wham-O began producing the first iteration of the Frisbee, a rounded plastic object that at that point was called the Pluto Platter.

 

A century earlier, New England undergraduates began enjoying pies crafted by the Frisbie Baking Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut; when the last crumb had been devoured, the empty tins were used as flying discs, spun through the air and caught by the high-spirited students.

 

Frisbee is one of The Toys That Have Been Inducted Into National Toy Hall Of Fame.

 

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Wham-O also made:

 

Please feel free to share your favorite frisbee or Wham-O toys in the comment section below…