Ed Headrick

Reading CNN tonight, I noticed that "Steady" Ed Headrick had just passed away at age 78. I surfed to E2 to refresh my memory about Ed, but - horrors! - I find a nodeshell. Well, then, here's my poor attempt at memorializing the man; those who know more (most everybody, I'd 'spect) jump in.

Ed Headrick was an inventor. In 1964, while working for the toy firm Wham-O, he modified the unsatisfactorily wobbly 'Pluto Platter' flying toy, by adding aerodynamic ridges to the top surface - and the modern Frisbee was born.

Headrick patented his work - and millions have known and loved the magical flight of the Frisbee since he did so. He invented the game of Disc Golf, or Frisbee Golf, and started the PDGA - the Professional Disc Golfing Association.

In an interview given in 2001, Ed Headrick offered his views on religion and death:

"We used to say that Frisbee is really a religion -- 'Frisbyterians,' we'd call ourselves," he said. "When we die, we don't go to purgatory. We just land up on the roof and lay there."

In reference to The Custodian's Headrick quote, the following strange fact should be noted:

Headrick requested that, upon his death, his ashes be molded into a limited edition set of commemorative Frisbees. Most of these disks will be sold to raise cash for a Frisbee museum. According to Headrick's son Daniel, "My father would be really happy if we actually played Frisbee with his remains. He said he wanted to end up in a Frisbee that accidentally lands on someone's roof."

All of which brings a new meaning to the words "limited edition".