2008 Woodie Awards
Summer Galore
Jenny Wallace
Issue date: 7/11/07 Section: Features
When you think of summer, what things come to mind? Is it the beach, barbecues, vacations, sunshine, sports, or a combination of them all? There are certain summer activities and things that most people associate with this hot period of the year, but perhaps you've never stopped to think about where fireworks originated or who had the idea to first toss around a Frisbee. Although there are way too many things associated with summer for each to have its own explanation, some of the most popular items of "summer lore" have been researched and the history behind them explained in this article.
Frisbee
The ancient predecessors of the Frisbee can be traced to the early Olympic games in Greece nearly 2,700 years ago. At that time there was a popular sport called Discus (or the Discus throw) which is a track-and-field hurling sport. A discus was almost nine inches in diameter and weighed a little over four pounds, a weight which modern Frisbees obviously do not match. However, our modern Frisbee, which is celebrating its 50th year of mass production, originated when a group of bored Yale University students were looking for entertainment after a picnic.
The Frisbie Bakery was located in Bridgeport, Conn., and produced homemade pies along with other fresh bakery goods. On the bottom of the tin pie pans the company would stamp "Frisbie Pies" which obviously explains the name of the amazing flying disc. Nearby Yale University housed many students who would frequently consume the Frisbie Bakery goods, and one day after eating all the pie inside the tin, the students decided that the tin itself could serve a dual purpose as a toy. They began to toss the pie tin back and forth, and Viola! the Frisbie disc was born.
The first plastic models were produced by Walter F. Morrison, who patented the design after realizing that the tin models had obvious drawbacks. The design was then purchased by the Wham-O Manufacturing Company of San Gabriel, Calif., who began mass production in the mid-1950's. Since 1957, the company has produced 16 different models of Frisbee; however, there are now over 30 companies who also manufacture the flying discs.
Frisbee
The ancient predecessors of the Frisbee can be traced to the early Olympic games in Greece nearly 2,700 years ago. At that time there was a popular sport called Discus (or the Discus throw) which is a track-and-field hurling sport. A discus was almost nine inches in diameter and weighed a little over four pounds, a weight which modern Frisbees obviously do not match. However, our modern Frisbee, which is celebrating its 50th year of mass production, originated when a group of bored Yale University students were looking for entertainment after a picnic.
The Frisbie Bakery was located in Bridgeport, Conn., and produced homemade pies along with other fresh bakery goods. On the bottom of the tin pie pans the company would stamp "Frisbie Pies" which obviously explains the name of the amazing flying disc. Nearby Yale University housed many students who would frequently consume the Frisbie Bakery goods, and one day after eating all the pie inside the tin, the students decided that the tin itself could serve a dual purpose as a toy. They began to toss the pie tin back and forth, and Viola! the Frisbie disc was born.
The first plastic models were produced by Walter F. Morrison, who patented the design after realizing that the tin models had obvious drawbacks. The design was then purchased by the Wham-O Manufacturing Company of San Gabriel, Calif., who began mass production in the mid-1950's. Since 1957, the company has produced 16 different models of Frisbee; however, there are now over 30 companies who also manufacture the flying discs.
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