Inventor of the frisbee and hula hoop, dies at 82 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bossradio93 · 01-17-2008, 10:16 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080117/ap_on_re_us/obit_knerr]

Wham-O toymaker Richard Knerr dies at 82

Thu Jan 17, 5:31 AM ET

ARCADIA, Calif. - Richard Knerr, co-founder of the toy company that popularized the Hula Hoop, Frisbee and other fads that became classics, has died. He was 82.

Knerr, who started Wham-O in 1948 with his childhood friend Arthur "Spud" Melin, died Monday at Methodist Hospital after suffering a stroke earlier in the day at his Arcadia home, his wife Dorothy told the Los Angeles Times.

Knerr and Melin got their start in business peddling slingshots. They named their enterprise Wham-O after the sound a slingshot made when it hit its target.

They branched into other sporting goods, including boomerangs and crossbows, then added toys that often bore such playful names as the Superball, Slip 'N Slide and Silly String.

When a friend told them in 1958 about a large ring used for exercise in Australia, they devised their own version and called it the Hula Hoop.

Around the same time, they bought the rights to a plastic flying disc invented by Walter "Fred" Morrison, who called it the Pluto Platter. Wham-O bought the rights and renamed it the Frisbee.

The rest is amusement history.

"If Spud and I had to say what we contributed, it was fun," Knerr told the Times in 1994. "But I think this country gave us more than we gave it. It gave us the opportunity to do it."

Melin died in 2002 at age 77.

Besides his wife, Knerr is survived by three children from a first marriage that ended in divorce, two stepchildren, and eight grandchildren.

Services will be private.

Yahoo! News/AP-January 17, 2008

Cactus Jack · 01-17-2008, 10:20 AM

A MAN invented the hula hoop?

RIP to him

coffield3 · 01-17-2008, 10:26 AM

I could never do that!

R.I.P Richard Knerr

Zoneboy · 01-17-2008, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMuppetFromtheFutu

A MAN invented the hula hoop?

A man also invented pantyhose.

Cactus Jack · 01-17-2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

A man also invented pantyhose.

LOL

TripperFan · 01-17-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

A man also invented pantyhose.

And the bra!

RIP - that man was my childhood God! Frisbees, hula hoops, super balls, silly string - all staples of being a kid.

TJL · 01-17-2008, 06:47 PM

I had so many frisbees when I was a kid.

A truly great toymaker. And there are not many of those left.

TripperFan · 01-17-2008, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJL

A truly great toymaker. And there are not many of those left.

You can say that again! The toys these days look amazing with all the bells and whistles, but they each seem to be so specific. I swear simplicity is the key and that's what his were.

lol - I wonder how many frisbees have doubled as dog water dishes over the years....

Sterling Holobyte · 01-17-2008, 09:28 PM

And here all this time I thought Klinger invented the hula hoop and the frisbee.

ponytail · 01-18-2008, 06:36 AM

I still have my hula hoop I got as a kid in the 60's.

01-17-2008, 10:16 AM	#1
bossradio93 Game Show Fanatic! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2004 Location: Bellflower, California Posts: 2,392	Inventor of the frisbee and hula hoop, dies at 82 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080117/ap_on_re_us/obit_knerr] Wham-O toymaker Richard Knerr dies at 82 Thu Jan 17, 5:31 AM ET ARCADIA, Calif. - Richard Knerr, co-founder of the toy company that popularized the Hula Hoop, Frisbee and other fads that became classics, has died. He was 82. Knerr, who started Wham-O in 1948 with his childhood friend Arthur "Spud" Melin, died Monday at Methodist Hospital after suffering a stroke earlier in the day at his Arcadia home, his wife Dorothy told the Los Angeles Times. Knerr and Melin got their start in business peddling slingshots. They named their enterprise Wham-O after the sound a slingshot made when it hit its target. They branched into other sporting goods, including boomerangs and crossbows, then added toys that often bore such playful names as the Superball, Slip 'N Slide and Silly String. When a friend told them in 1958 about a large ring used for exercise in Australia, they devised their own version and called it the Hula Hoop. Around the same time, they bought the rights to a plastic flying disc invented by Walter "Fred" Morrison, who called it the Pluto Platter. Wham-O bought the rights and renamed it the Frisbee. The rest is amusement history. "If Spud and I had to say what we contributed, it was fun," Knerr told the Times in 1994. "But I think this country gave us more than we gave it. It gave us the opportunity to do it." Melin died in 2002 at age 77. Besides his wife, Knerr is survived by three children from a first marriage that ended in divorce, two stepchildren, and eight grandchildren. Services will be private. Yahoo! News/AP-January 17, 2008
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01-17-2008, 10:20 AM	#2
Cactus Jack RonFingSwanson Forum Idol Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Santa Rosa Beach,FL Posts: 103,099	A MAN invented the hula hoop? RIP to him
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01-17-2008, 06:47 PM	#7
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	I had so many frisbees when I was a kid. A truly great toymaker. And there are not many of those left.
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01-17-2008, 09:28 PM	#9
Sterling Holobyte Harper House Senior Member Join Date: Nov 07, 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,896	And here all this time I thought Klinger invented the hula hoop and the frisbee.
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01-17-2008, 10:26 AM	#3
coffield3 <3 Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 23, 2006 Location: England Posts: 7,379	I could never do that! R.I.P Richard Knerr

01-18-2008, 06:36 AM	#10
ponytail Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Location: In Happy, Healthy, Wealthyville Posts: 4,273	I still have my hula hoop I got as a kid in the 60's.