How The Frisbee Came To Be

The Frisbee originated in Connecticut, with students from nearby colleges yelling “Frisbie!” as they tossed a Frisbie Baking Company tin pie plate to each other. That is one version of how the it came to be.

Disputes Over Frisbee Creator

When the Los Angeles Times reported that Walter Morrison died in 2010, the LA Times reported that Morrison and his future wife began “tossing a large popcorn can lid back and forth,” and soon switched to tossing cake pans. The story continues that Morrison soon began “selling cake pans on the beach.” Although Morrison did later develop a prototype to improve a flying disc, which would eventually lead to the Frisbee, most other sources tell the pie pan story from the Frisbie Baking Company.

Over the years, several people claimed they created it. Even when sources do attribute creation of it to Walter “Fred” Morrison, details still seem to vary.

A Yale Daily News story claims that according to local legend, “a group of Yale students invented the Frisbee from throwing around a pie tin…” The story then points to different accounts by former Yale students, each taking credit for inventing the Frisbee. The Yale story does go on to point out disputes to the Yale student claims, supporting the version pointing to Morrison as the accepted creator.

How It Took Flight

In 1948, according to toy maker Wham-O, Walter Morrison, along with partner Warren Franscioni, developed a plastic version of the flying pie plate, which they sold at fairs. The toy was not called a “Frisbee” or even a “Frisbie.” The “Whirlo-Way” gave way to “Flying Saucer,” which soon became the “Pluto Platter,” as Morrison attempted to cash in on the public craze over outer space and Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). The patented “Morrison Slope” helped the disc fly even better, adding to the frenzy over the flying toy.

In 1955, after perfecting his creation, Morrison sold his Pluto Platter rights to Wham-O. In 1958, Wham-O renamed the toy “Frisbee.” The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), established in 1984 and now recognized by the International Olympic Committee, points to the fact that Wham-O renamed the Pluto Platter “Frisbee” the year after the Frisbie Baking Company closed in 1958.

Catching The Craze

By the early 1960s, the Frisbee craze caught on. MadeHow says, “Organizations became established to promote sporting events, including the International Frisbee Association and the Olympic Frisbee Federation.”

Columbia High School in New Jersey became the site of the first Ultimate Frisbee game in 1968. By the 70s, schools held interscholastic games. Competitions became increasingly popular at both the high school and college level.

Where Is It Today?

Frisbee was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998. Today, its sales total more than 300 million. The
U.S. Military used the Frisbee to boost the morale of U.S. soldiers serving in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield. It also became a popular way for companies to advertise.

Collectors seek out early, stylishly decorated Frisbees. Collector sites and price guides give collectors up-to-date values of the simple flying disc that delights people of all ages across the globe.