Letters to the Editor TM Most of the 400 or so le tters we get each week are orders, subscriptions or requests for information. Others include comments on Frisbee World topics, I.F.A. issues or their own play. VOLUME 2, NUMBER 3 Needless to say, there are always a number of interesting letters in each day's pile. Many of them deserve to be shared. FRISBEE WORLD is a publication of the International Fri sbee Association Editorial Offices SOME ARE FROM NEW PEOPLE: FRISBEE WORLD I would like to join some contest in which I would be able to play with % The International Fri sbee Assoc. P.O. Box 664 others. Last su mmer I threw 207 fee t and I am only 13. I can do some Alhambra, California 91 802 fancy catches and stuff. I haven't got to try this summer but I know I can beat my old record. I got some help from the college students up Subscription Rates here and I cut two college guy's fingers and made them bleed. I am $5.00 per year (6 issues) going to try and beat 378 feet. I got that out of a Frisbee book but I'm Article Submission not sure if that' s the record now. That was held in 1974. I throw all by Tom McRann Deadline for next issue--June 15 kinds; Master, Super Pro, All American and every kind. Well. that's Editor Dan Roddick about it and please write me back and tell me if I can be in a club or a tournament. Assistant Editor JoCahow Th e Fastback Frisbee®has always Perry Siddous the Fa stback and Cliff Towne tied was changed to a square top crown Managing Editor Sheila Heintz Greencastle, Indiana been a strange beast. Wh en it was the long-standing world record in and hotstamped imprint (photo # 1 Graphic Design Don Malucky initially released, it wa s billed as M. T.A 119ers may take heart how­ and # 2). SOME ARE COMPLIMENTARY: "great for Guts," which it wa s not. ever, as Bill Nash stole the final from Bob Dudley Thank you for your prompt att entiveness in correcting th e misspelling People tended to be either fanati­ four Fastbacks with his yellow G­ Current production Fastbacks are Eastern Editor Gary Seubert of my first name on my I.F.A. membership card and wall certificate. I cally for th e disc or reject it com­ hope it didn't sound like I was making a big deal over nothing but it series off th e rack. those which have been molded Mid-Western Editor Bruce Koger pletely as unuseable Small pockets so rt of bugged me everytime I looked at it. I fee l better now. Stork since th e beg inning of 1976. They Southern Editor Tom Monroe Also, as for you r response to mv suggesti on for a " Letters to the of enthusiasm for the Fa stback were are the next step or replacement of Editor" column for Frisbee World, al l you have to do is to print a always around with the most promi­ Western Editor Tom Mc Rann Th e flight of a Fri sbee is extremely the sq uare top crown model. Its pre­ request in the next issue of the magazine for whatever comments that nent in Hawaii, but it was rarely mier characteri stic is a wing-shaped Contributing Writers appealing to observe, especially if it Tom McRann your readers may have concerning the magazine. For instance. I seen in competition . profile (p hoto #3), a distinctly Victor Malafronte would now like to say that th e article. "Frisbee as Conversation " was has long duration and ae robatic Hunter Scott the most beautiful piece that I have ever read on the sport. Allow me In the beginning of the 1976 season, character. To follow a travel ling disc cu rved shou ld er, and a conforming Flash Eberl e to quote: "When I am playing Frisbee. it is often th e case that I am Tom McRann called me to wa rn of for, say, 10- 15 seconds, be with it curve at th e cro wn shoulder (p hoto getting close to myself." I think th at this is a widely sha red experience his "secret weapon" for M. T.A and upon it s descent , and catch it # 4) . Many have been produced and amongst Frisbee players. This ce rt ainly is true for myself anyway. Th e T.R. & C. I was surprised but didn't distributed. Th ere are various molds circle is th e perfect form. Thanks again for the card and wall certificate. cleanly with one hand , is a most Table of doubt that he might be onto some­ enj oyable Fri sbee experience To (some are double cavity, meaning Terry Heffernan two produced at one time) , many dif­ Ridgewood. New Jersey thing special Few players put the achieve such a flight , th e current time and effort that Tom does into production model of th e Wh am-0 ferent colors an d hotstamps; the Contents SOM E ARE CRITICAL (BUT HELPFUL) : understanding the critical aspects of Premium Fas tback Fri sbee is being plastic consistency va ries and th ere 3 The Flight of the Fastback Frisbee .. Looking through Fflsbcc World, something caught my eye that I each event. He probably has th e used by many se ri ous M.T.A. and is definite weight va riation . But the by Tom McRann didn't like and thought I should tell you. The cen ter spread, where basic flight characteristics and de­ 6 Sidearm by Victor Malafronte world's most complete range of T.R. & C competitors, and a few figures of people doing various thin gs wi th Frisbees is an excellent sign are th e sa me. Premium Fast­ 9 Freedom by Hunter Scott idea. However, I do object to the " clear cutting " of the background throwing stock for all circumstances. who throw just for fun . 10 Going Down behind the figures and the printing of the solid color. The outline of the All the discs are meticulously back Fri sbee discs are so metimes 13 Coming Up figures is so sketchy and badly done that it detracts from the action in weighed and their characteristics Its inception was in 1970 by Dick available at common retai l stores, 19 World Records the photo. Maybe I am too critical; for nine months I worked in an noted. From this collection, Tom Gillespie of Wh am-0 Mfg. Co. The but have been primarily distrib­ 20 Collecting the Tournament advertising agency and saw many good photographs ruined by inexpert matches the disc to the particular initial use of the mold was in the uted nationally and intern ationally Frisbee by Flash Eberl e clear cu tting, but it really bothers me to see good photos butchered needs of the event. retail line. Th e disc was produced through schools, banks, radio sta­ 24 Neil Delay by Mark Dixon the way the cen terfolds have been . on ly in yellow and was sold in a 26 The Factory Connection ti ons, ai rlin es, and a wide va ri ety of Clay Gordon At the Santa Barbara meet, Tom 's 2 7 In Future Issues Olympia, Wa shington shadow box packaging. Th e disc different programs. Seek and you MOST AR E DELI GHTFUL : use of the Fastback was a sensa­ met wi th mixed reaction wi th some will find . Th e Premi um Fastback had ©1977 International Frisbee Association, A fine example is the exquisite penman­ tion. He still had not refined its use playe rs loving th e sli ci ng flight and never bee n presented as a sport Alhambra, California, 91802 ship and accompanying sketches of but threw a number of practice oth ers complain ing of its instability. model, so it was a pleasant surprise All rights re se rved . Reproduction in whole or in Mark D1xon (the man behind Neil De!ay) . throws over 13 seconds. By the end In early '74 , th e Wh am-0 Premium to see the Fastback being used ex­ part without written permission is prohibited. of the year, many players were program began in ea rn est wi th the perimentally and in competiti on in Printed in U.S.A. using the disc and John Kirkland retooling of th e Fastback to accom­ the M.T.A. and T.R. & C. events at @Frisbee is a registered trademark of Wham-0 had won the world title with a Pre ­ modate a larger imprinting area. th e 1976 Rose Bowl World Frisbee Mfg. Co. for flying discs used in sports games. mium. At the recently held '77 Sa nta Th e first generation had a mildly Championships. Fastbacks were Second class postage permit is pending at San ~ Barbara meet over 75% of the rounded crown and was all silk­ even being use d for markers in the Gabriel, California. M. T.A and T.R. & C players used sc re en imprints. In '75, th e design distance event' ~/1N1 I ' ~~~----~.-~~--~-- COVER PHOTOGRAPHY We plan to continue this le tters column as a permanent featu re of Gary Gossett snapped his fifth Frisbee World Frisbee World. Hopefully, it will provide an opportunity to present both cover of Freddie Haft doing some tight control entertaining and substantive issues. We look forward to hearin g work .C harl es Tips provided the series of tfle from you.