Monday, September 1, 2008

Chasing a golden anniversary: Frisbees


This year celebrates fifty years of chasing those round things for me! I bought the first one I ever saw, which was in a plastic bag, had the name Pluto Platter, and would be worth about $300 if I still had it intact today! It was made by the same Wham-O company that brought us the hula hoop. The admonition on the under side of it was the same for all the years.

In the photo, which is slightly blurry due to the speed things were moving, I am throwing the disc to myself. That's how I started with them, since no one else in my home town knew about them either. I found a good, steady breeze from the south and learned the correct angle to throw them to make them come back to me. After 50 years of it, I'm pretty good at that.

In the small farming town I live in now, I can't find any takers on throwing them back and forth. Anyone anywhere near my age says they're too old for that or have to go watch television or drink beer. Anyone very young says they don't know how and that's it. So, I'm in a pickle and waiting to find someone adventurous enough to teach. I've taught hundreds of people to fling them over the years, but I am having a hard time in the new century finding takers for that knowledge. It may be because exercise is involved!

4 comments:

  1. The internet is screwing up young peoples minds about what is valuable activity. The kids have all disappeared from the street in my neighborhood. I ask the neighbors where their boys(girls) are, they say: You know...on-line!
    BW

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  2. Too true!

    My son came here yesterday, so we spent a good long while this afternoon flinging Frisbees. Even the rain didn't slow us down at the Jr. high exercise area and elementary playground. They have one of those two-court basketball covered areas that looks to be made by Butler Buildings with only partial side walls to keep the rain out. It turns out to be wonderful for inclement weather Frisbee exercise!

    Onward, through the fog.

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  3. Good to see you've been here, Tiffin!

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