• The New York Times, Friday, January 18, 2008 11:30 AM

Richard Knerr (pronounced nur), who with partner Arthur Melin had a talent for turning seemingly quirky ideas like the Hula Hoop, the Frisbee and the SuperBall into national passions, died from complications of a stroke on Monday at his home in Arcadia, Calif. He was 82.

Knerr and Melin started their company, Wham-O, in a garage. In the first year, it sold as many as 40 million Hula Hoops; by 1960, 100 million--a mark no other toy had ever reached. After too many households had several hoops, the fad evaporated, leaving Wham-O marooned on a mountain of tubular plastic. Total profit: $10,000--a result of business inexperience and millions of unsold hoops.

Other Wham-O brainstorms included the Water Wiggly sprinkler, the Slip 'N Slide water slide, the Limbo Game and Silly String, a seemingly endless stream of liquid that hardened after being expelled from an aerosol can, all too often in a child's hair.

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