The History of Ultimate Frisbee

Amherst College Utimate game

Feb 20, 1953

Students at Amherst College develop a Frisbee football game with a serving tray. Rules were very similar to the modern rules of Ultimate Frisbee.

Frisbee production

Jan 23, 1957

Wham-O becomes the sole producer of the "Frisbee."

Columbia High School students invent "Frisbee Football"

Jan 1, 1968

A group of students from the school paper and student council at the New Jersey High School create a game using Wham-O's frisbee which they nickname "Frisbee Football."

Rules written down

Jan 1, 1970

Joel Silver, founder of the sport at Columbia High School, writes down the rules of his newly developed game.

First collegiate game played

Jan 1, 1972

First collegiate Ultimate Frisbee game takes place between Rutgers and Princeton. Rutgers won the game 29-27.

First organized national tournament

Apr 25, 1975

The National Collegiate Championships was played between eight teams at Yale University. Rutgers took the crown.

World Flying Disc Federation founded

Sep 19, 1983

WFDF, an international governing body of all flying disc sports, is founded, recognizing Ultimate Frisbee as one of its sports.

First World Ultimate Club Championships

Jan 1, 1989

The games were held in Cologne, Germany. USA took the men's and women's crown.

Ultimate Frisbee recognized as an official sport in the World Games

Jan 1, 2001

The sport is recognized in the 2001 World Games in Akita, Japan as an offical sport.