May 13 - The Wham-O Breakthrough: How One Man’s Idea Finally Caught Wind
The Subtle Strategy of Discouragement
This is the day Walter Frederick Morrison sold the rights to his flying disc invention to the Wham-O toy company, which later renamed it the "Frisbee," in 1957.
In today's lesson, we will explore how Walter Morrison's twenty-year journey to create the Frisbee reveals a profound spiritual truth about endurance. What if some of our greatest spiritual battles aren't fought through dramatic confrontation but through subtle discouragement? How can we recognize when delay is being used as a weapon against our God-given calling?
"For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, 'Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.' But now, O God, strengthen my hands." - Nehemiah 6:9 (NIV)
This Date in History
Walter Morrison stared intently at the plastic disc in his hands, turning it slowly to admire the smooth, aerodynamic curves he had perfected over nearly two decades. This was no mere toy but the culmination of a dream that began on Thanksgiving Day in 1937, when he and his future wife Lucile Nay found themselves playfully tossing a popcorn tin lid back and forth after dinner. The simple game would eventually transform into one of the world's most recognizable toys and spawn entirely new sports.
The popcorn lid dented easily during their play, so the couple soon switched to more durable metal pie tins. During a trip to Santa Monica beach, a curious onlooker offered them 25 cents for one of their pie tins, which had only cost them five cents. This simple transaction sparked an entrepreneurial idea in Morrison's mind. "That got the wheels turning," Morrison would later explain, "because you could buy a cake pan for five cents, and if people on the beach were willing to pay a quarter for it, well—there was a business."
Inspired by this potential market, Morrison began selling "Flyin' Cake Pans" at beaches and parks throughout Southern California. These early forays into the flying disc business showed promise, but history soon intervened. World War II pulled Morrison away from his entrepreneurial pursuits when he enlisted in the Air Corps, where he served as a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot. His wartime service took a dramatic turn when he was shot down over enemy territory and held as a prisoner of war in Germany's Stalag 13 for 48 days. Upon returning home after the war, Morrison took work as a carpenter to support himself, but he never abandoned his flying disc dream.
With the war behind him, Morrison renewed his efforts with even greater determination. In 1946, he sketched a design called the "Whirlo-Way," and by 1948, he had partnered with Warren Franscioni to create a plastic version dubbed the "Flying Saucer." Although sales were initially disappointing, Morrison remained convinced of his product's potential. After splitting with Franscioni in 1950, he continued refining the design independently, discovering that he could produce discs more cheaply on his own.
The breakthrough came in 1955 when Morrison created the "Pluto Platter," featuring a sleek, curved rim that dramatically improved flight stability. The design and name cleverly tapped into the public's fascination with UFOs and space exploration during that era. This innovation represented the culmination of nearly two decades of experimentation and refinement, transforming what had begun as a simple game with household items into a sophisticated flying toy.
Morrison's persistence finally paid off when his Pluto Platter caught the attention of Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin, the enterprising founders of the Wham-O toy company. On January 23, 1957, Morrison celebrated his 37th birthday by signing an agreement that transferred the rights to his invention to Wham-O. The pivotal moment came on May 13, 1957, when Wham-O officially began producing and distributing the Pluto Platter as the sole manufacturer, marking the true commercial launch of what would become a global phenomenon.
Interestingly, while Morrison had been developing his commercial flying disc, college students across the Northeast, particularly at Yale University, had independently been entertaining themselves by throwing empty pie tins from the nearby Frisbie Pie Company. These students would shout "Frisbie!" as a warning to those who might be in the path of the flying tin. Within a month of launching the Pluto Platter, Wham-O discovered that college students were already calling their new toy "Frisbees" after this pie company tradition. By June 17, 1957, Wham-O had embraced the Frisbee name on its packaging, though they altered the spelling to avoid trademark issues.
Morrison initially disliked the name "Frisbee," considering it "a horror" and "terrible," but he couldn't argue with the results. The toy's popularity exploded, and by the mid-1960s, Wham-O had reportedly sold 100 million Frisbees. The royalties made Morrison a wealthy man, vindicating his decades of persistence and innovation. More significantly, his invention transcended its humble origins to become not just a toy but a cultural icon that would inspire generations of enthusiasts and even spawn competitive sports like Ultimate Frisbee (created by high school students in 1968) and Disc Golf.
The enduring success of the Frisbee lies in its elegant simplicity, combining physics and pure play in a way that appeals to people of all ages. What began as an impromptu game with household items became a worldwide phenomenon that has sold hundreds of millions of units and continues to bring joy to people across the globe. As psychiatrist Dr. Stancil Johnson, the Frisbee's official historian, explained, the toy represents "the perfect marriage between man's greatest tool—his hand—and his greatest dream—to fly."
Historical Context
The mid-1950s marked a significant cultural shift in America, particularly in how people viewed and used their leisure time. The post-World War II economic boom had created unprecedented prosperity, with the rise of suburban living and increased discretionary income for many American families. This newfound prosperity, coupled with more leisure time, created a perfect environment for recreational products like the Frisbee to thrive.
The era was also characterized by a growing fascination with space and technology. The space race between the United States and Soviet Union was heating up, with the Soviet Union launching Sputnik later in 1957, the same year the Frisbee was commercially released. UFO sightings and interest in extraterrestrial life had captured the public imagination, appearing frequently in popular culture through science fiction films, books, and radio shows. Morrison cleverly capitalized on this cultural phenomenon with his flying disc design and the "Pluto Platter" name, tapping into the zeitgeist of cosmic wonder.
Did You Know?
The Frisbee was tested by the U.S. Navy in 1972 as a potential vehicle for keeping signal flares aloft during military operations, demonstrating its serious aerodynamic properties beyond recreational use.
Before inventing the modern Frisbee, Walter Morrison experimented with various materials including metal popcorn lids, cake pans, and eventually plastic to achieve the perfect weight-to-diameter ratio for optimal flight.
After the Frisbee's commercial success, Morrison invented several other products for Wham-O, including the "Crazy Eight Bowling Ball" and a "Popsicle Machine" for freezing juice, though neither reached the same level of popularity.
Ed Headrick, an engineer at Wham-O who later became known as the "Father of Disc Golf," added the famous circular ridges to the top of the Frisbee in 1964, which significantly improved its aerodynamics and stability.
One of the earliest documented instances of organized Frisbee play was in November 1957, when the flying disc was featured in what may have been the first-ever rock musical, "Anything & Everything," where Frisbees were passed among audience members.
Today’s Reflection
Walter Frederick Morrison's journey to selling his Frisbee design to Wham-O on May 13, 1957, took twenty years marked by setbacks, failed partnerships, and relentless redesigns.
But his story perfectly reflects a spiritual truth we often overlook: some of our greatest challenges don't come in the form of dramatic opposition, but in the slow, quiet erosion of our resolve through delay and disappointment.
Morrison began by selling what he called "Flyin' Cake Pans" on California beaches, never imagining he'd one day be shot down in World War II, survive imprisonment, and face years of discouraging sales. But through it all, he kept refining his vision. What's remarkable isn't just his perseverance, but the kind of opposition he endured. It was never catastrophic failure, but rather the subtle, wearying drag of delay. That's the kind of challenge that tempts many to walk away not in defeat, but in exhaustion.
Scripture repeatedly shows us this quieter form of spiritual warfare. When Nehemiah led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall, the enemy's primary tactic wasn't open violence. It was actually psychological pressure: "For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, 'Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.'" Nehemiah 6:9 (NIV).
The goal wasn't destruction, but discouragement. And the danger wasn't a frontal assault, but a drained will.
It's a tactic that remains effective today. While not every challenge or delay is a spiritual attack, Scripture teaches that spiritual forces can exploit our natural weariness. Our adversary doesn't always need to create obstacles; he can simply use existing challenges, disappointments and timeline extensions until we conclude on our own that it's time to move on.
What makes this approach particularly effective is how reasonable it sounds after prolonged effort without visible success. Discouragement rarely presents itself as spiritual opposition. Instead, it masks itself as prudence: "Be practical. Know when to fold. You've tried long enough."
These messages sound wise but can sometimes undermine genuine spiritual callings that require supernatural endurance.
Paul addresses this kind of weariness in Galatians 6:9: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 (NIV).
His warning is not against moral failure or doctrinal error, but against fatigue. The Christian life isn't just about avoiding sin—it's about sustaining obedience when the harvest is still unseen.
Morrison's long road to success reminds us: breakthrough often comes not to the most gifted, but to the most faithful. His final product didn't look exactly like his original dream, and even the name "Frisbee" was one he initially disliked.
But the point isn't that every dream comes true if we wait long enough. The point is that faith-filled endurance keeps doors open that surrender would close forever.
Nehemiah's response models what spiritual endurance looks like. He doesn't just ask God to stop the opposition; he prays, "But now, O God, strengthen my hands." He understands that the solution to weariness isn't always fewer obstacles—it's deeper strength.
In your spiritual life, what burdens feel heavier than they used to? What vision once felt clear but now seems distant? Don't confuse delay with denial. Sometimes the space between the promise and the fulfillment is exactly where God does His most important shaping, both of us and of the calling.
Not all persistence is holy, but when we know we've heard from God, we must ask: Am I giving up because He's redirected me, or just because I'm tired of waiting?
The enemy doesn't always need to defeat us. Sometimes he just needs to convince us that it's taking too long to be worth the wait. But God's invitation is to endure with hope, to pray with Nehemiah: "But now, O God, strengthen my hands."
Practical Application
Take a spiritual inventory of the dreams, commitments, or callings you've felt led to pursue but have considered abandoning. Write them down, noting honestly whether your desire to quit stems from divine redirection or simple fatigue. For those that fall into the "fatigue" category, establish small, daily actions that keep your vision alive without overwhelming you. Create calendar reminders at regular intervals (monthly or quarterly) to pray specifically over these things, asking for strengthened hands rather than removed obstacles. Finally, find someone trustworthy to share your long-term vision with—someone who will ask about it periodically, providing both accountability and encouragement when the waiting feels too long.
Closing Prayer
Faithful Father, thank You for revealing the subtle tactics that would drain our resolve and dim our vision. We confess that sometimes we've confused delay with denial, and weariness with wisdom. Forgive us for the times we've surrendered what You called us to sustain. Like Nehemiah, we don't ask that You simply remove obstacles, but that You strengthen our hands to continue the work. Renew our endurance when the journey feels longer than we anticipated. Help us distinguish between Your redirection and our own fatigue. Plant within us a deeper trust in Your timing, even when it stretches beyond our expectations. May we be known not merely for our enthusiasm at beginnings, but for our faithfulness in long middles. We pray this in Jesus' name, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him. Amen.
Final Thoughts
Discouragement doesn't announce itself with trumpets; it settles in quietly like dust on furniture, accumulating so gradually we barely notice its weight until we can no longer move what once felt light. God's antidote isn't always removal but reinforcement. He doesn't promise shorter journeys—He promises stronger travelers.
THIS IS THE DAY Last Year
May 13 - New York, 1950: When a Forgotten Wallet Changed Finance Forever
This is the day Diner's Club issued its first credit cards in 1950.
This devotional is free to read. You can support this publication by becoming a subscriber, upgrading to paid subscriber status, liking (❤️) this post, commenting, and/or sharing this post with anyone who might enjoy it. You can also make a ONE-TIME DONATION in any amount. Thank you for your support!
One of my favorite quotes from Andrew MacLaren is this:
"To endure is a greater trial of faith than to do. To stand firm amid secularizing influences, ridicule, and misconstruction is harder than to do some great thing."
MacLaren's Expositions
Good read!