Why is it called a Frisbee?

The name comes from the Frisbie Pie Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. College students tossed empty Frisbie pie tins and yelled the name as a warning. Wham-O changed the spelling to Frisbee to avoid trademark issues with the pie company.

Who invented the Frisbee?

Walter Frederick Morrison created the first plastic flying disc after tossing a popcorn can lid on Thanksgiving 1937. He was a WWII fighter pilot who used his aerodynamics knowledge to improve the design. He sold the rights to Wham-O in 1957.

How many Frisbees has Wham-O sold?

Wham-O sold over 100 million Frisbees by 1977 alone. The toy became one of the best selling products in American history. It joined the first class of the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998 alongside iconic toys like Barbie.

What happened to the Frisbie Pie Company?

The Frisbie Pie Company closed in 1958, just one year after Wham-O borrowed its name for the flying disc toy. At its peak the company produced 200,000 pies daily with around 800 workers. Table Talk Pies bought the remaining assets.

January 23: How a Pie Tin Became the Frisbee

Q: What was the Frisbee originally called?

Morrison originally called his flying disc the Whirlo Way, then renamed it the Flyin Saucer to capitalize on the UFO craze. He later redesigned it as the Pluto Platter in 1955. Wham-O finally renamed it Frisbee in 1958.

A Thanksgiving toss, a WWII pilot, and pie factory workers created the world's favorite flying disc

On January 23, 1957, Wham-O bought the rights to the Pluto Platter flying disc. The toy's real origin traces back to pie factory workers tossing tin pans.

Key Facts

Date

January 23, 1957

Original Name

Pluto Platter designed by Walter Morrison

Company

Wham-O bought the rights from Morrison

Name Origin

Frisbie Pie Company tin pans tossed by students

Pie Company Founded

1871 in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Inventor Background

Walter Morrison was a WWII P-47 fighter pilot

First Plastic Disc

1948 called the Flyin Saucer after UFO sightings

Modern Design Patent

Ed Headrick added stabilizing ridges in 1967

Sales Milestone

Over 100 million sold by 1977

Hall of Fame

Inducted into National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998

Quick Stats

Attribute	Value
Inventor	Walter Frederick Morrison
Wham-O Founders	Richard Knerr and Arthur Spud Melin
Pie Company Peak	200,000 pies daily with 800 workers
First Inspiration	Thanksgiving 1937 popcorn can lid toss
Beach Offer	Stranger offered 25 cents for their cake pan
Renamed Frisbee	1958, one year before Frisbie Pie Company closed
Design Patent	December 1967 by Ed Headrick
Toy Hall of Fame Class	1998 alongside Barbie, Teddy Bear, and Legos

About January 23: How a Pie Tin Became the Frisbee

On January 23, 1957, a WWII fighter pilot sold his plastic flying disc to a toy company and accidentally launched one of the best selling toys in history. Walter Morrison had no idea that his Pluto Platter would become the Frisbee, a toy connected to pie tins, college pranks, and a Thanksgiving dinner gone sideways.

The Thanksgiving Toss That Started Everything

Walter Morrison and his future wife Lucile tossed a popcorn can lid back and forth after Thanksgiving dinner in 1937. They kept playing on a beach near Los Angeles, where a stranger offered them 25 cents for a cake pan they were flinging around. Morrison realized people would actually pay money to throw things at each other for fun. That moment on the sand changed everything.

A Fighter Pilot Builds a Better Disc

Morrison flew P-47 Thunderbolts during World War II and spent time as a prisoner of war. After returning home, he used his knowledge of aerodynamics to design a proper flying disc. He called his first version the Whirlo Way. When UFO sightings swept the country in the late 1940s, he renamed it the Flyin Saucer to ride the craze.

Pie Factory Workers Did It First

Decades before Morrison, workers at the Frisbie Pie Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut tossed empty pie tins during their lunch breaks. Yale students discovered that Frisbie pie pans flew beautifully and started throwing them across campus. They yelled "Frisbie!" to warn people nearby. The tradition spread to Dartmouth, Princeton, and Amherst.

Wham-O Changed the Spelling and Made Millions

Wham-O founders Richard Knerr and Spud Melin bought Morrison's Pluto Platter on January 23, 1957. When they learned college students already called flying discs "Frisbies" after the pie company, they changed the spelling to Frisbee to avoid trademark trouble. Designer Ed Headrick later added raised ridges that stabilized flight and made the disc soar predictably.

From Pie Pans to the Toy Hall of Fame

Wham-O sold over 100 million Frisbees by 1977. The Frisbie Pie Company closed its doors in 1958, just one year after its name was borrowed forever. The Frisbee joined the first class of the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998 alongside Barbie, the Teddy Bear, and Legos.

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Historical Analysis

⚡Historical Significance

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The Frisbee connects two completely independent American inventions: pie tin tossing in early 1900s Connecticut and plastic disc engineering in postwar California.
•
Walter Morrison's experience as a WWII P-47 pilot directly influenced his understanding of aerodynamics and disc flight.
•
The toy industry in the 1950s thrived on simple outdoor play concepts that required no batteries or technology.

📝Critical Reception

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The Pluto Platter initially sold modestly until Wham-O rebranded it as the Frisbee and marketed it as a sport.
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Ed Headrick's 1967 patent adding stabilizing ridges transformed the Frisbee from a novelty into a reliable flying disc.
•
Ultimate Frisbee emerged in 1968 as a competitive sport and now has international federation recognition.

🌍Cultural Impact

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The Frisbee became a symbol of casual outdoor American culture, from beaches to college campuses to city parks.
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Over 100 million units sold by 1977 made it one of the most purchased toys in American history.
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The toy spawned competitive sports including Ultimate, disc golf, and freestyle, each with professional leagues.
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The Frisbee joined the first ever National Toy Hall of Fame class in 1998 alongside Barbie and the Teddy Bear.

Before & After

📅Before

Before the Frisbee, flying discs were improvised from pie tins and cake pans. There was no standardized product and no sport built around throwing discs. Outdoor play toys were dominated by balls, bats, and jump ropes.

🚀After

After Wham-O launched the Frisbee, it sold over 100 million units in two decades and spawned entire sports like Ultimate and disc golf. The simple plastic disc became a global cultural icon found on every beach and campus in America.

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Did You Know?

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Morrison got the idea after a stranger offered 25 cents for a cake pan he was tossing on a beach

•

Yale students yelled Frisbie as a warning when throwing pie tins across campus

•

Morrison renamed his disc the Flyin Saucer to capitalize on the UFO craze of the late 1940s

•

The Frisbie Pie Company closed just one year after Wham-O borrowed its name forever

•

The Frisbee joined the first ever National Toy Hall of Fame class alongside Barbie and Legos

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Why It Still Matters Today

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Disc golf has exploded in popularity with over 10,000 courses in the United States alone

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Ultimate Frisbee is now recognized by the International Olympic Committee and played in over 80 countries

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The Frisbee remains one of the simplest and most affordable outdoor toys requiring no setup or power

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The story of pie tins becoming a global toy shows how everyday objects can spark billion dollar industries

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Test Your Knowledge

How much do you know? Take this quick quiz to find out!

1. What was the Frisbee originally called when Wham-O bought it?

2. Where did the name Frisbee originally come from?

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Original Insights

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Morrison got the idea when a stranger on a Los Angeles beach offered 25 cents for a cake pan he was tossing

•

Morrison named his disc the Flyin Saucer specifically to capitalize on the UFO mania sweeping postwar America

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The Frisbie Pie Company closed in 1958, just one year after its name was borrowed for the toy forever

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Pie factory workers in Bridgeport were tossing tins during lunch breaks decades before Morrison built his plastic version

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Yale students yelled Frisbie as a warning when launching pie tins across campus courtyards

Frequently Asked Questions

Walter Morrison designed the first plastic flying disc in 1948 and sold the rights to Wham-O on January 23, 1957. The concept traces back even further to pie factory workers tossing tin pans in the early 1900s. Wham-O renamed the toy Frisbee in 1958.

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Sources & References

Toy company Wham-O produces first Frisbees

The Return of the Pie Company That Gave the Frisbee Its Name

A Brief History of the Frisbee

The Surprisingly Complicated History of the Frisbee

History of the Frisbee

This article is reviewed by the Pagefacts team.

Editorial Approach:

This article traces how a Thanksgiving dinner toss, WWII fighter pilot aerodynamics, and Connecticut pie factory workers throwing tin pans all converged to create one of the best selling toys in history.