MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 - FRISBEE

 MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 - FRISBEE

From Today in History for January 23rd: “On January 23, 1957, machines at the Wham-O toy company roll out the first batch of their aerodynamic plastic discs—now known to millions of fans all over the world as Frisbees.

The Frisbie Pie Company in Bridgeport Connecticut made pies - starting in 1871.  College students (most notably Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut) thought the pie tins were neat and started to throw them around.  In 1948, two partners adapted the idea of a throwable pie tin into a plastic model - that they called “Flying Saucer”, and they sold that idea to the Wham-O as the “Pluto Platter”. 

In 1958, Wham-O changed the name of the disks to “Frisbee” (a change on the name of the Frisbie Pie Company).  The name is copyrighted - so imitations are made under alternate names. 

Like probably all of you, I’ve tossed a Frisbee around - not always successfully, but as a casual activity at a picnic.

Tossing a Frisbee can be a challenge.  On windy days, the wind might catch it and blow it over a fence or into a patch of poison ivy (my personal bane).  What type of throw can intentionally bring the disk back (like a boomerang), or soar over the ground?  

That leads us to two competitive games based on the Frisbee.

ULTIMATE

My two children were members of an “Ultimate Frisbee” team when they were in college.  With the name “Frisbee” copyrighted, this game is frequently called “Ultimate”. 

The game is like soccer or football but with a disk.  There is no ‘line of scrimmage’, no referees (so fouls are to be self-called).  A team keeps control of the disk unless it is dropped, goes out of bounds, or is intercepted by the other team.  There is no running in the game although there is a slight bending of that rule if a player is running to catch the disk and needs a step or two to stop.  

The goal is to make a pass into the end zone and score a point.  The game is over with one of two methods:  a set time is reached (like 60 minutes of play), or a set point is reached (like 15 points - but you must win by 2 points, so a 15 to 14 score would continue to until one of the teams gets to 17 and then a 17 to 16 score would win for the team with 17 points.

There are several factors involved in a game - you can throw forward or backward, but the accuracy of your throw is important. Dropped or missed throws are turnovers and go to the other team.

Like soccer or football, there should be strategies - not just throwing the disk.  You can’t stall (the rules say you can hold the disk for up to 10 seconds before throwing it.  Defenses can play “man-to-man” or zone.  Since the player can not run with the disk but must throw it after catching it the offensive players must attempt to be open to a throw, and the defensive players must be ready to intercept.  

But where in football a pass might be incomplete, in Ultimate, a throw that isn’t caught is a turn-over to the other team.  Serious players can dive or jump to catch the disk.  

Ultimate games can be quite lively.

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FRISBEE GOLF

In my area, there are several frisbee golf courses.  These are like traditional golf courses, but with a unique goal.  The goal has a large circle of chains that stop the disk and (hopefully), the disk drops into a basket.  Scoring is like golf - each time a player throws the disk it is a ‘stroke’ so a particular ‘hole’ would have a set ‘par’ - a longer hole has a par of five, and shorter goals might be a 3.  Of course the more accurate the throw generally the lower the score.

Serious Frisbee Golf players will have a set of disks - like golf clubs.  You might have two disks that are better for longer throws, two disks for medium throws, a disk for a short throw, and a putter-type disk.  Some disks are a bit heavier, some disks are flatter, some disks are designed for distance, and some for close-up shots.

The Frisbee Golf courses that I know of are free and in city parks.  One, in particular, is a difficult course, that requires accurate throws across a stream and up and down hills (like a difficult golf course).  

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And, dogs might be the best Frisbee catchers around (although not so good on throwing or being team members!!!)

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I don’t currently have a flying disk (of any brand), although I have had several in the past.  After reading and researching Frisbees and flying disks, I’m thinking it might be good to practice throwing in (and, if nothing else, getting me outside and walking!!)

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LOVE WINS - even when competing in a Frisbee game.  

Karen White

January 24, 2022