| Richard Knerr | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Knerr (1925-06-30)30 June 1925 |
| Died | 14 January 2008(2008-01-14) (aged 82) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Inventor |
Richard Knerr (30 June 1925 – 14 January 2008) was an American inventor best known for marketing the Frisbee and Hula hoop.
Career
Wham-O
In 1948, he co-founded the company Wham-O with Arthur Melin (nicknamed "Spud"). In 1957, an Australian visiting California told them offhand that in his home country, children twirled bamboo hoops around their waists in gym class. Knerr and Melin saw how popular such a toy would be, and soon they were winning rave reviews from school children for the hollow plastic prototype they had created.
References
- Nelsen, Valerie J. (17 January 2008). "Richard Knerr, 82; co-founded Wham-O, maker of the Hula Hoop and Frisbee". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- "Inventor of the Week Archive". Archived from the original on 16 February 2003. Retrieved 21 January 2008.
External links
- The Joy of Silly article in the New York Times
- Official Frisbee website by Wham-O, manufacturer of Frisbee brand flying discs
- Obituary in "The Guardian", 7 April 2008
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