When the Man Who Invented "Operation" Needs One

When John Spinello sold the idea for the game “Operation” in 1964 for $500, he didn’t realize how hugely popular the game would become. He himself struggled financially late in his life, and found himself urgently needing an operation he couldn't afford. Tim Walsh, game inventor and toy historian, tells the story of the people inspired by the 1960s game, including a surgeon who invented a medical device inspired by the game. Most poignantly, he shares the crowdsourced effort to get Spinello the operation he needed. Guest: Tim Walsh, game inventor, toy historian, and producer, “OPERATION: Operation, The Power of Play”