No inanimate objects fly as beautifully as Frisbees. To human eyes, magic holds them aloft. Scientifically, those simple plastic discs combine the best properties of airplane wings and gyroscopes. Arcing in majestic parabolas, they practically beg to be caught.

For those captivated by Ultimate Frisbee—a game that blends football, soccer and basketball—throwing and catching Frisbees is the stuff of obsession. David Gessner spent 20 years of his youth in the game’s thrall, and he revisits them in “Ultimate Glory: Frisbee, Obsession,...