Toying with toys and making it big

On June 23, 1980, American inventor Arthur Melin, along with several others, filed a patent for a water play toy on behalf of Wham O Manufacturing Company. Melin and his friend, fellow inventor Richard Knerr, sold their Wham O company in 1982 – the year this patent was granted – but it wasn’t before they had spent decades whipping up frenzies like never before. A.S.Ganesh tells you how Melin and Knerr mixed serendipity and hard work to succeed in the toy industry…