Like so many products, some of these items came into existence by happenstance. Other products were made by inventors who gained fame later in life. And some creations were developed to address the needs of challenged members of society. George Nissen, age 16, was inspired by trapeze artists.

In 1930, at age 16, George Nissen came up with an idea that is still keeping kids entertained to this day. After watching trapeze artists drop into a safety net after finishing their routine, the young George thought it would be great if they could keep bouncing. He turned his parents garage into a workshop and ...

The modern trampoline was invented by George Nissen, a competitive diver and All-American gymnast at the University of Iowa. He devised and built his first trampoline in 1937, while he was in college, inspired by watching circus aerialists dropping into nets and bouncing back up after their routines.

Dear sister of James (Caron) Nissen and the late Grace Nissen and the late George Nissen. Sister-in-law of Ina Nissen, Ann (Joseph) Grifasi, and the late Charlotte Clark. Aunt of many nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at the C. MERTZ AND SON FUNERAL HOME, INC., 911 Englewood ...

link After earning a bachelor's degree in general science, Hery said he was hired by George Nissen, the inventor of the modern trampoline, to sell equipment for both trampoline and gymnastics in the New England region. As part of his job, Hery gave clinics and demonstrations on the equipment for ...

The original Nissen Award was named in honor of George Nissen, a former NCAA champion, for his contributions to men's gymnastics. The award was re-named the Nissen-Emery Award in 1998 to honor Dr. Robert Emery, a Penn State graduate, who won the Nissen Award in 1969. The "Heisman Trophy" of gymnastics, ...

A jumping kangaroo is displayed on the new Nissen trampoline Co. in January 1961. The building on 27th Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids brought the company founded by George Nissen under one roof. The two-story office section and the gymnasium showroom had 80,000 square feet of factory space ...

In 1960, George Nissen rented a kangaroo named Victoria from an animal-supply outfit on Long Island so that he could train her to hop on a trampoline he set up in Central Park. After a week of waltzing with Victoria, clasping her front paws as he taught her to bounce in time with him, Nissen finally ...

As fans of the summer Olympic Games eagerly await the opening ceremonies July 27 in London, Ron and Dagmar Munn will be glued to their television in Green Valley cheering on Team USA in the trampoline event, a sport made possible thanks to Dagmar's father, trampoline inventor George Nissen.

George Nissen, 16, who was a member of the gymnastics and diving teams at his high school, was soon tinkering in his parents' garage, strapping together a rectangular steel frame and a canvas sheet. Even though it was not quite as springy as he had hoped, he called it a bouncing rig. That was in 1930.

George Nissen, 16, who was a member of the gymnastics and diving teams at his high school, was soon tinkering in his parents' garage, strapping together a rectangular steel frame and a canvas sheet. Even though it was not quite as springy as he had hoped, he called it a bouncing rig. That was in 1930.