Three authors note, "Pete and his team have designed a device that can fling a nanosat [mini-satellite] off the back of its host rocket. 'It's a lot like throwing a Frisbee,' he explains" (Fisher, Phillips, and Schugart). Thus, the Frisbee technology may reach outer space in ways the inventors never could have imagined. Today, the Frisbee is one of the most common toys around the world. You can see it used in dog agility championships, at the beach or park, and in many competitive Frisbee tournaments, including Frisbee Golf, Frisbee Baseball, and many others. Many people consider Fred Headrick to be the father of modern Frisbee competition. Headrick took over as Vice President of Sales at Wham-O in 1964, and he changed the design of the disc just a bit by adding "flight rings" along the shoulder of a new Frisbee Pro-model disc. These grooves gave the thrower more control over where the disc went. He also formed the Junior Frisbee Championships and World Frisbee Championships, which got literally thousands of people into the sport (Malafronte 80-81). From there, championships in a variety of Frisbee sports sprung up all around the world.

Perhaps one of the most interesting Frisbee sports is Ultimate Frisbee, which was developed at a New Jersey high school and has spread around the world (Kurlantzick 56). Journalist Joshua Kurlantzic notes, "In the past five years, ultimate Frisbee has developed a loyal following in Southeast Asia, a region that has recorded explosive rates of economic growth" (Kurlantzick 56). This game, which evolved in 1968 in Maplewood, New Jersey, is an eclectic blend of football,...

Teams attempt to pass a Frisbee down a 70-yard field to an end zone. Unlike most other competitive sports, there are no officials in the game, instead, players are expected to be honest and call their own fouls. The game has traveled around the world, and many people believe it may one day become an Olympic sport (Kurlantzicl 56).
In conclusion, the Frisbee is much more than a toy. It has become a sports professional, a dog agility tool, and even a collectible for many fans. It seemed like a harmless flying disc when in was first conceived in the 1940s, but it has become a cultural and sports icon that anyone can afford and master. William Morrison and Warren Franscioni had no idea their invention would prove to be so popular and unique, or that it would become (and remain) such a global phenomenon.

References

Bellis, Mary. "The History of the Frisbee." About.com. 1998. 2 Feb. 2007. http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa980218.htm

Editors. "The Frisbee." The K-8 Aeronautics Internet Textbook. 1997. 2 Feb. 2007. http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Sports/instructor/frisbee-01.html

Fisher, Diane, Tony Phillips, and Gene Schugart. "Launch a Frisbee into Orbit!." The Technology Teacher 62.7 (2003): 10+.

Jedlowski, Jill. "Learn Frisbee Tips for You and Pup." Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) 27 Apr. 2006: 2.

Kurlantzick, Joshua. "Keep a Cool Heart: Ultimate Frisbee in Bangkok." World and I Mar. 2002: 56.

Malafronte, Victor a. The Complete Book of Frisbee. Alameda, CA: American Trends…