THE HULA-HOOP

In 1958, Richard P. Knerr and Arthur K. "Spud" Melvin, owners of the Wham-O Manufacturing Company of San Gabriel, California, introduced the Hula-Hoop, which became the biggest toy fad in history. The dollar ninety-eight plastic hoops (which cost fifty cents to produce) sold 20 million units by September of the same year, and Wham-O is reputed to have eventually made 45 million bucks off the gimmick.