I recently learned about two cool things online: first there is a Flying Disc Documentary coming out this year, 2011, and second that there is this great website called KickStarter which is helping to make it a reality. Let me tell you about both!
THE INVISIBLE STRING – a Flying Disc Documentary
Picture by Invisible String
So, how did I come across this? I was on Facebook the other night writing a note on a friend’s wall when I saw that he had posted a video about The Invisible String, an upcoming 2011 documentary. The friend was a teammate of mine when I was playing disc in Denmark, so I imagined that it would be Ultimate or disc related. From the first image (Fred Morrison in his space suit) I knew I was going to need to learn more about it.
The documentary, the Invisible String, created by Michael Osterhoff, Jan Baess and Greg Marter from Berlin, Germany, will include interviews with prominent players from Europe, Japan and the United States, early footage from games and disc events, historical photos and attempt to answer what it is about flying plastic that so enthralls those that chase it. From the information I’ve read so far, they plan to showcase the movie at upcoming 2011 film festivals and, with luck, theaters around the world once the post-production is complete.
You can find out more information on their Facebook page, Website and/or pledge any amount on their KickStarter page to help with the post-production of the movie to make it a reality. If you are reading this within 26 days of the time of my post (18 January 2011), than you can still donate. I plan on pledging what I can, and can’t wait to see the film!
KICKSTARTER – a funding platform
So, what is KickStarter and how is it helping this project? KickStarter is “the largest funding platform for creative projects around the world”. I might be a little behind on learning about the awesomeness of this site, but I hadn’t heard about it till a week ago–even though it has been featured on CNN, Wired, NPR, NY Times, etc. So, if you already knew about it, great! If not, check it out.
The basic idea is as follows: you have a creative endeavor, but need funding. All you need to do is come up with a short video explaining your idea and incentives to promote the project and post it on the site. Visitors of KickStarter can check it out, and if they like what you’re doing they can help fund the project. The “kicker” is, if the fund raising doesn’t reach the goal set by the creator, then no money changes hands. So, there is a huge incentive to publicize each project. This is where we all come in….
As a tangential side note, KickStarter sort of reminds me of Kiva in the way it uses an internet based community to gather capitol from multiple sources to fund a project. Though, there are quite a few differences… pledges verses loans, any creative project verses mostly philanthropic pursuits, etc. You get the picture.
Anyway, check out the Invisible String documentary project.
Frisbee: A Practitioner’s Manual and Definitive Treatise Johnson, Dr. Stancil. Frisbee: A Practitioner’s Manual and Definitive Treatise, New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company, 1975. 221 pp. 0911104534. Paperback. $4.95 (original price).
By Dr. Stancil Johnson
DESCRIPTION: whats inside?
Published in 1975, this is one of the earlier substantial musings in print on the subject of disc sports. It addresses the contemporary origins of the object (Frisbie Pie Company, Fred Morrison, Wham-O), design and flight aspects of the “Frisbee”, throws and catches, games using the disc, organizations of the 1960s and 70s, collecting the precious plastic and shop talk about the proliferation of the hobby. Black and white images, diagrams and data tables appear regularly throughout the text adding greatly to the quality of the entire work. The appendices cover essays about the physics of Frisbee flight and how weather effects Frisbee flight, offers a chronology of Frisbee and describes ways of comparing Frisbee disc quality.
The author, Dr. Stancil Johnson, has contributed to the disc sports community as a competitor and a respected historian. He has competed with world championship Frisbee teams from 1968 – 71 and was a prominent member of the now defunct International Frisbee Association, which was dissolved in 1983. He was inducted into the International Frisbee Hall of Fame (Guts) and the Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 2003. At the date of this posting, Dr. Johnson continues to practice psychiatry and toss disc.
DISCUSSION: What did/does this offer the disc sport community?
In this section I will briefly discuss a few of the chapters in Johnson’s book. Being one of the first, substantial works addressing all aspects of disc sports it offered a lot to the “Frisbee” community of 1975 and can still offer an interesting perspective for today’s players and disc enthusiasts.
The opening chapter discusses the facts and fictions surrounding the beginning of the Frisbee. For those that don’t know about pie tins or Morrison, this section offers great insight into the contemporary birth of the disc. I use the word “contemporary” because the discus has been around since before Discobolus was carved in the 5th Century BC out of marble. Johnson doesn’t focus on that period too much because he, and most of the readers out there, are more interested in the modern day disc’s origins. Since most books printed after 1975 on the history of disc sports usually reference this book, it still has something to offer.
Chapter 2 covers the material, production and models of discs. There is a substantial focus on Wham-O (the main producer at the time), but there is an interesting section about distinguishing between antiques, serious discs, toys, knock-offs, foreign discs, etc. (table on pg. 60). Sadly, since this section only compares those discs up until 1975, some big production companies of today like Discraft or Daredevil are, of course, left out. However, the diagrams on multiple pages offer great cross sections of the disc, and show the fascinating evolution of the disc from a Pluto Platter “toy” to the Pro Model, which incorporated Lines of Headrick and all of the other improvements.
I found chapter 4, “Flight”, interesting because it describes the flight periods of a disc. The diagram on page 60 visually maps out each period from “Whelm” to “Was” and is described in detail over the pages of this chapter. In fact, a lot of the scientific detail in this and other chapters really puts an eye-opening perspective on just how cool a flying disc is and how much we take the science of it all for granted every time we release a huck down field.
Chapters 6, 7 and 8 are all historical, discussing the games and sports (6), the tournaments (7) and the teams and organizations (8) of the late 60s and 70s. At the time of the printing these would’ve all been very relevant to the players of the day; now, it is more of a look back on the early growth of the sport. I especially like the IFA’s “Proficiency Qualification Requirements” that would certify a competitor as a Novice, Amateur, Expert or Master. At the time of Frisbee‘s publication, “…only the thirty-two players who qualified at the 1974 Rose Bowl World Championships have earned [the] title [of master]” (Johnson, 126). By today’s abilities, there would be a lot of masters out there. Can you throw a straight, high release, inside-out and outside-in back hand; skip the disc off of pavement (I wouldn’t be able to, but that is because I don’t ruin discs on purpose); catch the disc one handed, on one finger and behind the back? Well, I guess you are a master, too.
The last chapter I want to comment on here is “The Dog and Frisbee” (9). Outside of the disc-playing community, one of the top retorts by non-disc-tossers has to usually do with dogs. When someone says, “I play Ultimate (the expression of confusion takes over the other person’s face) …Frisbee”, the more common response or question has to do with playing catch with dogs. Yes, it is getting better. A lot of people know about Ultimate or Disc Golf, but playing catch with a dog on the beach is a more common representation of disc sports. Even with this stigma looming, I still enjoyed the chapter and learning about the exploits of Ashley Whippet. I love Frisbee dogs.
CRITICAL EVALUATION: Does this only contain dated material?
Containing material over 35 years old makes some publications outdated, but here the information is both historical and partially pertinent. Some of the terminology seemed odd or outdated to me, but I am also an Ultimate guy and not a Guts, Freestyle or Disc Golf guy so they could be still used in those circles. There are pieces of information about teams, organizations or tournaments that are outdated, but overall the book is a great addition to any Disc-Sports collection and a fun way to sail through the past of disc sport development and competition.
Where to buy it? Well, it is out of print, so you’ll have to find it used on Abebooks or Amazon. I got my copy on Amazon, but Abebooks is a great website to find rare or out of print titles.
READERS ADVISORY: History of Frisbee.
This book focuses on the origins of the “Frisbee” disc and the evolution of disc sports till 1975, so to complement these topics I would suggest the Complete Book of Frisbee by Malafronte to continue to learn about the evolution of disc sports, Wham-O Super Book by Walsh that celebrates the history of Wham-O products (including the Frisbee) and Ultimate: the First Four Decades by Leonardo and Zagoria, which chronicles one of the fastest growing of disc sports.
Thank you for reading and as always, please, leave comments!
The Complete Book of Frisbee Malafronte, Victor A. and F. Davis Johnson (ed). The Complete Book of Frisbee: the History of the Sport and First Official Price Guide, Alameda, CA: American Trends Publishing Company, 1998. 287 pp. 0966385527. paper. $19.95
DESCRIPTION: What’s it all about?
The Complete Book of Frisbee: the History of the Sport and the First Official Price Guide by Malafronte chronicles the evolution of various disc sports from early games using a disc-like object to their present day forms. As Malafronte states, “the objective of this historical account is not to find out who first threw the very first disc shaped whatever, but rather is a quest for a clear chronology of organized flying disc play” (p. 21). With this objective, the book begins by exploring some early flying disc objects and their associated games, progressing to the development of modern disc games–like Ultimate and Freestyle. There is a chapter devoted to the creation of the modern day plastic disc, and then about 100 pages covering collecting, storing and appraising the beloved plastic (and metal) objects.
Complete Book of Frisbee - Malafronte
The author, Victor Malafronte, is a Flying Disc historian, World Frisbee Champion (Freestyle) and original member of the Berkeley Flying Group (BFG). His contributions to “Frisbee” history and lore are referenced and quoted on websites and books such as the Freestyle Players Association (FPA), the Ultimate Handbook and WrightLife. Malafronte has also appeared in highlight videos and TV commercials promoting Disc Golf and the sport of Freestyle. Check these out, they are 1980s classics (the clothes made me giggle a bit, I have to admit).
DISCUSSION: How is this relevant to the disc sport community?
This book was given to me as a gift during my junior year (2004) of College. My friend and teammate, Grace, knew how much I loved the sport of Ultimate, so she presented this to me before she graduated. I skimmed it from time to time, over the years, but never really read it from cover to cover until recently. And, I have to say it is an enjoyable and informative read, well, for a person who really likes “counter-culture” disc sports.
The Complete Book of Frisbee is a precursor to the widely talked about and hard to find (due to its limited printing) Ultimate: the First Four Decades and a continuation of the attempts made by an earlier book, Frisbee: a Practitioner’s Manual and definitive Treatise (1975); however, unlike Ultimate, Malafronte’s text does not only talk about the sport of Ultimate, but the evolution of all disc sports–Disc Golf, Guts, Freestyle and Ultimate. In the introductory pages, Malafronte states, “Until now, no serious attempt has been made to bring to light additional information that could document and enhance the true nature of this pastime” (p. 20). Though, Frisbee (1975) did offer some good information about all things Frisbee disc related, this is still a serious, legitimate attempt. I would actually say a success.
As I mentioned earlier, this text has been quoted numerously and should hold a prominent place in the chronicles of disc history.
CRITICAL EVALUATION: Twelve Years later, is it still worth it?
From pie tins and cookie can covers to Pluto Platers and UltraStars, this book gives the reader a fair amount of information up till the late 90s. Yes, its been 12 years since its publication, but this book still offers a useful and interesting perspective on disc culture and heritage. To discount it simply because of its publication date would be silly.
I found the “Price Guide” section’s full color pictures to be really cool. At first I thought it was a little silly, but then I looked in my closet and saw the twenty or so discs I have amassed over my years of playing ultimate and realized… I’m a collector. I do not know if I will be running around looking for collectible discs in antique shops and local yard sales, but then again maybe if I see a Li’l Abner’s Flyin Saucer or an original American Trends Pluto Platter I might add it to my collection.
This book is always available on Amazon and then there is Barnes and Noble, too. I tried to find it on the Borders website, but didn’t have any luck.
READERS ADVISORY:
This book is broad in that it covers disc sports, so I do not want to suggest titles that cover only Ultimate, but, rather, broad disc-related topics and history. One that specifically talks about the plastic “Frisbee” disc is called Plastic: Let’s Look at the Frisbee by Angela Royston. Now, yes, this title is for very young readers, but it discusses the object rather than the tactics of the sport of Ultimate, so I thought it could be a possible paring. Keep in mind this is for really young readers (4 – 8), but if you are a parent and want to introduce your child to disc sports via reading, this could be your book. If you are an adult reader, which I imagine most of you how are reading this blog are, I’d suggest two other texts: Frisbee: a Practitioner’s Manual and Definitive Treatise by Dr. Stancil Johnson and Ultimate: the First Four Decades by Leonardo and Zagoria.
