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56 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | APRIL 2022 According to 94-year-old Joan Anderson, she is the one who named her bamboo circle the Hula-Hoop and introduced it in America 60 years ago. Joan was born and raised in Australia where she met and married a U.S. soldier, who brought her to Los Angeles in 1946. After living in the United States for 11 years, she returned to Sydney to visit her family for Christmas. Joan was fascinated to find her family and friends swirling exercise rings made of bamboo on their hips. She tried it herself and thought it was great fun. After returning to the United States, Joan shared her hoop experience with her husband, Wayne, and their four children. She also spent several months demonstrating the bamboo circle to her friends and associates during dinner parties. To them, it was just a faddish, Australian toy. Subsequently, one of Joan's friends said, "You look like you are doing the Hula," and she replied, "There you go, that is the name, Hula-Hoop!" Joan's husband Wayne, a former fighter pilot turned businessperson, knew Spud Melin, the owner of the Wham-O-Toy Company. Joan and Wayne met with Mr. Melin in the store's parking lot where he examined the bamboo hoop. With a gentleman's handshake, the deal was made. Melin said, "If this Hula-Hoop makes money for us, it will make money for you, too." In 1958, the Wham-O Company debuted their lightweight plastic hoops at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, California. People loved them and hooping became an overnight sensation in America! Wham-O sold the Hula-Hoops for $1.98 each and grossed over $30 million in just a few months. No credit was ever given to Joan and her husband for their creative input. In 1961, The Wham-O Corporation settled a lawsuit with the Andersons over their financial achievement. However, the Andersons ended up with just under $6,000 after attorney fees. Today, Joan is a widow living in Carlsbad, Calif. She still has the original bamboo hoop her mother sent her from Australia. Her story can be viewed in a short documentary film on YouTube titled This Woman was Written Out of Hula-Hoop History. Come join our exciting club! We meet on Fridays at 7:30 am in The Lodge Ballroom. No experience is necessary. For info, email FSHoopsters22@gmail.com. ~ Regina Ross, rdross629@gmail.com Hula Hoop Club Why is Pickleball so addictive? The game is addictive because you rarely get the same shot twice! The height, speed, angle are always different. It takes practice and exercise to perfect your skills. Is Pickleball a good workout? A good aerobic workout with less strain on the joints and muscles can be achieved. The bioamines that are released with all exercise are helpful to fighting depression, which is more common in older age. Is Pickleball bad for your back? Side-to-side movements, spine rotation, bending over, jumping, and running all place Pickleball players at risk for developing lower back pain in the spine if not stable. What are the benefits of playing Pickleball? The low impact of the game makes it great for boosting your mood and mental health as well as burning calories and avoiding injuries. The same benefits of other regular exercise can be found in the work of your balance and agility that come from playing a game of pickleball. How do I start playing Pickleball at Four Seasons? Wear your court shoes and come see us at the Pickleball courts! We have balls and paddles for you. Let the fun begin! ~ Karen Rose, karen.rose@ espmgmt.com Pickleball Wham-o Company produced and popularized the plastic hula-hoop in the USA Joan holding the original bamboo ring from Australia which she named the Hula-hoop The Original Hula-Hoop Girl Filmmakers Chris Riess and Amy Hill made the short documentary "Hula Girl"

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