United States

In 1958, if no one was playing with this kind of American plastic ring anywhere in the world, it meant that the place had not yet "integrated with the world." The hula hoop is one of the most popular toys ever created by two young toy makers in San Gabriel, California. Richard Nell and Arthur Melling were partners in a company called Wim O's Manufacturing Company. In March 1958, at a toy fair in New York, an acquaintance told them that a large wooden circle was becoming popular in Australia, and children put it on their buttocks and played with it. Back at the company, Nell and Merlin began making wooden circles. But after doing about 20, I stopped. They didn't like the wooden ones and wanted to try plastic. By May, they had made something that met their requirements. They made 3-foot circles out of colorful polyethylene pipes. They sold them for 9.3 cents each, earning a gross profit of 16%. Wim O's new toy is named the Hula Hoop.