Zoneranger's Whozis #168

[zoneranger]

Whozis guy with the big smile...?

[Joshawaggie]

I dont know, but If I was in that pic, i would be smiling too.

[zoneranger]

Among other things, he was an inventor.

[NJTank]

Dick Fosburry

[zoneranger]

Good Guess Tank, but nope.

[zoneranger]

This summer you will throw (or attempt to throw) the thing this man invented.

[NJTank]

Thomas Whiffle the inventor of the Whiffle ball.

[zoneranger]

No, but it is made of plastic.

[slapshot]

Walter Frederick Morrison, inventor of the Frisbee

[zoneranger]

Way to go Slaps!

In 1948, a Los Angeles building inspector named Walter Frederick Morrison and his partner Warren Franscioni invented a plastic version of the Frisbie that could fly further and with better accuracy than a tin pie plate. Morrison's father was also an inventor, who invented the automotive sealed-beam headlight. Another interesting tidbit was that Morrison had just returned to America after World War II, where he had been a prisoner in the infamous Stalag 13. His partnership with Warren Franscioni, who was also a war veteran, ended before their product had achieved any real success.

Morrison (after his split with Franscioni) produced a plastic Frisbie called the Pluto Platter, to cash in on the growing popularity of UFOs with the American public. The Pluto Platter has become the basic design for all Frisbies. The outer third of the Frisbie disc is called the 'Morrison Slope', listed in the patent. Rich Knerr and A.K. 'Spud' Melin were the owners of a new toy company called 'Wham-O'. Knerr and Melin also marketed the Hula-Hoop, the Super Ball and the Water Wiggle. They pair first saw Morrison's Pluto Platter in late 1955. They liked what they saw and convinced Morrison to sell them the rights to his design. With a deal signed, Wham-O began production (1/13/1957) of more Pluto Platters. The next year, the original Frisbie Baking Company shut down and coincidentally Fred Morrison was awarded a patent (Design patent 183,626) for his flying disc. Morrison received over one million dollars in royalties for his invention.