http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/ Theplaymakers.com is a website dedicated to and in support of the book The Playmakers, by Tim Walsh. Contains info from 100 years of toy history, updated regularly with industry news and significant events. en-us 2008-05-02T07:26:44-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000245.html There’s been a lot of debate over reading online or digitally vs. having that magazine, newspaper or book on your lap. When Amazon’s Kindle first came out people were calling it the “END OF THE PRINTED PAGE” and so... Playmakers Toy News Tim 2008-05-02T07:26:44-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000244.html Paramount is pulling out the stops with the promotion of Iron Man as evidenced by this massive 8’ x 15’ theater lobby display. Why all the hype? Because everyone wants to fly! If you’re like me you probably jumped... Tim 2008-04-12T06:00:23-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000243.html I had the privilege of being interviewed on Radio New Zealand National (their version of our NPR) on a show called This Way Up. Simon Morton is a fun guy to talk toys with and so we’ve scheduled a... Timeless Toys News Tim 2008-03-17T19:15:27-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000242.html As you may know, I self-published my book as The Playmakers in 2004. In the process of investigating my options, I discovered many vanity presses and print-on-demand publishers out there are more than willing to take a writer’s money. These... ...Something Completely Different Tim 2008-03-05T13:04:38-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000241.html Despite the doom and gloom over the economy and the recent glut of safety recalls, the 105th Annual International American Toy Fair was in a word…fun. In a continued effort to clean its own house, the Toy Industry Association held... Timeless Toys News Tim 2008-02-22T07:32:57-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000239.html As I prepare to attend my 18th consecutive Toy Fair in New York in a few short weeks, I start the year with a ton of cool projects in the works and a great thankfulness in my heart. To be... Playmakers Inventor News Tim 2008-02-08T16:01:49-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000240.html Rich Knerr, co-founder of WHAM-O, died on Monday. He was 82. Over the past six months I have had the unique privilege of interviewing Rich for a forthcoming book about WHAM-O’s 60th Anniversary. It is due out in May... Wow, it's a WHAM-O! Tim 2008-01-17T09:22:49-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000236.html I’ve been asked which toys I’d buy this year in light of the recent recalls. Here are my recommendations by category with links to amazon.com: AMERICAN MADE Manufactured here in the good ol’ US of A! GREEN TOYS Toys from... Timeless Toys News Tim 2007-12-07T09:18:00-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000237.html I am a comic book geek and Iron Man is my favorite. A natural extension of successful comic book characters has always been toys and more recently, movies. Here’s the Iron Man trailer: Here are the action figures coming from... Timeless Toys News Tim 2007-12-06T16:15:19-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000235.html The Chicago Toy and Game Convention was last weekend. Companies that rocked the show were: Buffalo Games Zobmondo, the Would You Rather… Game and Fundex Belcom Corporation had the most impressive booth which was a fully functioning 50’ x 50’... Tim 2007-11-25T10:07:31-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000234.html Tim 2007-11-22T08:51:37-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000233.html I am deep into the writing of a new book celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the founding of WHAM-O, that crazy toy company that gave the world Frisbee, Hula-Hoop, Super Ball, Slip ‘n Slide, SuperElasticBubblePlastic and in 1988… Bubble... Wow, it's a WHAM-O! Tim 2007-11-01T08:25:52-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000232.html Man, this brought back memories. The Wham-O TV ad for their Super Ball Baseball also featured the little old lady from this ad. In it she hits a 400 ft. home run. Here she peels out! Let ‘er rip!... Wow, it's a WHAM-O! Tim 2007-09-15T07:32:54-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000231.html Lst week I wrote an OP/ED piece for the Tampa Tribune. Read it here.... Timeless Toys News Tim 2007-09-08T08:34:56-05:00 http://www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000230.html Burt Meyer is the closest I will ever get to meeting an astronaut. He’s in his 80s and still flies planes. When he was in his 70s, he decided he wanted to dog-sled to the North Pole. And then... The Documentary Film Tim 2007-08-20T14:38:16-05:00