When Morrison first invented the flying disc, the former Second World War pilot called it the "Pluto Platter" to capitalize on the flying saucer craze of the 1950s. The idea likely came from the times he and his wife-to-be would throw a tin cake pan to each other on the beach in California.

In the 1950s, Morrison sold his discs personally at local fairs and events, and eventually Wham-O Manufacturing found him and bought the manufacturing rights to the molded platter. Phil Kennedy, who authored a book about the Frisbe with Morrison, said Wham-O changed the name to Frisbee because college students were calling it that, probably from the Frisbie Pie Co., whose empty tins the students threw to each other.

Morrison's son, who released the information that his father had died, said old age had caught up with his father and that he was afflicted with cancer. The younger Morrison described his father as a nice guy who helped a lot of people, and as an entrepreneur who was always looking for something to do. —[email protected]