Anniversary of Wham-O's Frisbee Contract

Today has been historically been observed as the "Frisbee's Birthday".

The truth is it's unlikely that "Wham-O toy company rolled out the first batch of their aerodynamic plastic discs" on the same day (January 23, 1957) it gained contractual rights to the plastic disc. What can be proven is today marks the anniversary of the agreement which made it possible for the Frisbee to be manufactured and widely distributed by Wham-O!

Agreement between "Wamo" and the Frisbee inventor [via Flat Flip]

The January 23rd, 1957 Agreement between the Morrisons and "Wamo" reads:
WHEREAS, First Party (Morrisons) has conceived and developed a new and unusual idea of a plastic flying saucer type toy and
WHEREAS, said new and unusual idea or process consists of plastic molding, suitable for a game.
WHEREAS, First Party desires that said idea or process be exploted [sic] on a nation wide basis; and
WHEREAS, Second Party (Wham-O) desires to exploit same;

So, on this day in history - January 23, 1957, "Wamo" acquired the exclusive rights to Fred Morrison's plastic flying saucer type toy. Morrison's first disc was the Flyin-Saucer (1948), and then later remolded into the Pluto Platter. Wham-O eventually renamed it "Frisbee"® after New England college students who had tossed around empty tins from the Frisbie Pie Company. The Wham-O Frisbee was the disc of choice for Ultimate players until 1991.

While historical details may be sketchy, Ultimate players everywhere should be thankful for this day in Frisbee history.