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History of the Game
While the exact origins of Ultimate Frisbee are debatable, it is generally believed that Ultimate was invented by a group of American college students at Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ, in the late 1960s.
Originally, rules allowed for 20-30 players on each team. The rules also allowed for players to run with the disc and included a line of scrimmage and a series of downs, like football. Eventually, the rules evolved to make the game more practical, allowing only seven players each side. Running with the Frisbee was also eliminated and the series of downs were taken out. The game exploded in popularity in the 1970s, spreading successively to American colleges, clubs & then internationally. The Ultimate Players Association (www.upa.org) was formed in 1979 & 1980, further aiding the spread & organization of the sport worldwide. Today, Ultimate is now played by thousands of people across the globe, including enthusiasts in Singapore.
- The original ‘disc’ was a metal pie tin. And the term ‘Frisbee’? Allegedly from a baker named William Russell Frisbie, owner of Frisbie Pie Co. Throwers of the tins would shout ‘Frisbie!’ to signal the catchers.
- A foul was initially defined as contact "sufficient to arouse the ire of the player fouled"
- Ultimate was predicted to be the ‘Ultimate sports experience’ by one of the game’s founders, Joel Silver.
- Under the original rules for Ultimate equipment, the founders wrote that "individual players may wear almost any aids they wish, including hats, helmets, or gloves as long as they do not endanger the safety of another player." Also, no player was allowed to "carry any sort of stick, bat or racket.
References
Article by Adam Zagoria; http://www.upa.org/upa/30anniv/30.html
http://www.ultimatehandbook.com | |
