July 29 (UPI) -- Joan Anderson, a largely unknown Australian woman who spent decades unacknowledged for introducing the world to the now-iconic hula hoop, has died.
Anderson, who moved to the United States in 1946, noticed what would become the fad while on a trip visiting family in Australia years later, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's obituary. She observed a curious craze that involved groups of giggling people swinging wooden hoops around their waists.
An intrigued Anderson returned to the United States, where her mother sent her one of the bamboo rings. A friend remarked that the hip-swiveling motion of its users resembled that of the Hawaiian hula dance, giving the toy its widely known name, according to the obituary.
In the 2018 documentary Hula Girl, Anderson recalled how she and her husband met with an executive of American toy giant Wham-O who agreed to share profits if the hula hoop sold.
Wham-O patented the hula hoop in 1963, which became a memorable fad that sold millions and became one of the company's best-known products.
