Walter Fredrick Morrison, the man credited with inventing the Frisbee, died aged 90.

Utah House Representative Kay McIff, an attorney who represented Morrison in a royalties case, said Mr Morrison died at his home in Monroe, Utah, on Tuesday.

Mr McIff is from Richfield, Morrison's original hometown.

"That simple little toy has permeated every continent in every country, as many homes have Frisbees as any other device ever invented," Mr McIff said. "How would you get through your youth without learning to throw a Frisbee?"

Mr Morrison's son, Walt, said "old age caught up" with his father and that he also had cancer.

"He was a nice guy. He helped a lot of people," Walt Morrison said. "He was an entrepreneur. He was always looking for something to do."

Mr Morrison sold the production and manufacturing rights to his Pluto Platter in 1957.

The plastic flying disc was later renamed the Frisbee, with sales surpassing 200 million discs. It is now a staple at beaches and college campuses across the country and spawned sports like Frisbee golf and the team sport Ultimate.

An official disc golf course at Creekside Park in the Salt Lake City suburb of Holladay is named after Mr Morrison.