Frisbee Patent — Weird History Daily

It’s a classic piece of Americana! That 1967 patent (U.S. Patent 3,359,678) was actually filed by Ed Headrick, an employee at Wham-O who is often called the "father of Disc Golf."

While Fred Morrison invented the first plastic version in the 1940s, Headrick’s 1967 patent was the game-changer. He added the "Lines of Headrick"—those raised concentric ridges on the top of the disc—which stabilized the flight and turned it from a wobbly toy into a predictable sporting tool.
Fast Facts About the Frisbee's Origins

The Pie Tin Connection: Students at Yale University used to toss metal pie tins from the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. They would yell "Frisbie!" to warn passersby, much like "Fore!" in golf.

The Plastic Shift: Fred Morrison realized plastic was more durable and aerodynamic than tin. He marketed his first version as the "Flyin-Saucer" to capitalize on the 1950s UFO craze.

The Name Tweak: Wham-O bought the rights from Morrison and intentionally changed the spelling from "Frisbie" to "Frisbee" to avoid trademark issues with the pie company.

A Final Tribute: When Ed Headrick passed away in 2002, his ashes were molded into a limited edition of Frisbees per his request, so his family and friends could "keep flying."

Wham-O was famous for taking simple ideas and turning them into global sensations.