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<div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">American entrepreneur and inventor</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox biography vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;"><div class="fn">George Ballas</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><div style="display:inline" class="nickname">George Charles Ballas</div><br /><span style="display:none">(<span class="bday">1925-06-28</span>)</span>June 28, 1925<br /><div style="display:inline" class="birthplace"><a href="/wiki/Ruston,_Louisiana" title="Ruston, Louisiana">Ruston, Louisiana</a>, U.S.</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Died</th><td class="infobox-data">June 25, 2011<span style="display:none">(2011-06-25)</span> (aged 85)<br /><div style="display:inline" class="deathplace"><a href="/wiki/Houston" title="Houston">Houston</a>, Texas, U.S.</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Occupation</th><td class="infobox-data role">Entrepreneur</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Known for</th><td class="infobox-data">Founder of <a href="/wiki/Weed_Eater" title="Weed Eater">Weed Eater</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouse</th><td class="infobox-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1151524712">.mw-parser-output .marriage-line-margin2px{line-height:0;margin-bottom:-2px}.mw-parser-output .marriage-line-margin3px{line-height:0;margin-bottom:-3px}.mw-parser-output .marriage-display-ws{display:inline;white-space:nowrap}</style> <div class="marriage-display-ws"><div style="display:inline-block;line-height:normal;">Maria Marulanda</div> <div style="display:inline-block;"></div>(<abbr title="married">m.</abbr> 1951)<wbr /></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Children</th><td class="infobox-data">5, including <a href="/wiki/Corky_Ballas" title="Corky Ballas">Corky Ballas</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Relatives</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Mark_Ballas" title="Mark Ballas">Mark Ballas</a> (grandson)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1257001546"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader" style="font-weight:bold;">Military career</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Allegiance</th><td class="infobox-data">United States</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Service <wbr />/ branch</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">United States Army</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Years of service</th><td class="infobox-data">1942–1953</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Commands</th><td class="infobox-data">Bombardier and Second Lt. and OSI Agent</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em">Battles / wars</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a><br /><a href="/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a></td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2"> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>George Charles Ballas Sr.</b> (June 28, 1925 – June 25, 2011) was an American <a href="/wiki/Entrepreneur" class="mw-redirect" title="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</a>. He invented the first <a href="/wiki/String_trimmer" title="String trimmer">string trimmer</a>, known as the <a href="/wiki/Weed_Eater" title="Weed Eater">Weed Eater</a> in 1971.<sup id="cite_ref-nytimes_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-nytimes-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He was the father of ballroom dancer, <a href="/wiki/Corky_Ballas" title="Corky Ballas">Corky Ballas</a>, and grandfather of professional dancer <a href="/wiki/Mark_Ballas" title="Mark Ballas">Mark Ballas</a> of <i><a href="/wiki/Dancing_with_the_Stars" title="Dancing with the Stars">Dancing with the Stars</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_life">Early life</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=George_Ballas&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early life"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Ballas was born in <a href="/wiki/Ruston,_Louisiana" title="Ruston, Louisiana">Ruston, Louisiana</a>. He was the son of Karolos ("Charles") Ballas and Maria (née Lymnaios), who were <a href="/wiki/Greeks" title="Greeks">Greek</a> immigrants that ran a restaurant.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His brother is Peter Ballas. </p><p>He enlisted in the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">United States Army</a> at the age of 17 in 1942 during <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> and was a bombardier.<sup id="cite_ref-nytimes_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-nytimes-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Ballas would later serve in the <a href="/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Family">Family</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=George_Ballas&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Family"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>He married Maria Marulanda who was of <a href="/wiki/Mexicans" title="Mexicans">Mexican</a> and <a href="/wiki/Spaniards" title="Spaniards">Spanish</a> descent in 1951. </p><p>He had five children, including <a href="/wiki/Corky_Ballas" title="Corky Ballas">Corky Ballas</a>. </p><p>His grandson <a href="/wiki/Mark_Ballas" title="Mark Ballas">Mark Ballas</a> is a dancer in <i><a href="/wiki/Dancing_with_the_Stars_(U.S._TV_series)" class="mw-redirect" title="Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series)">Dancing with the Stars</a></i>. He had six other grandchildren. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Inventor">Inventor</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=George_Ballas&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Inventor"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Ballas got the idea for the trimmer while driving through an <a href="/wiki/Car_wash#Automatic_car_wash" title="Car wash">automatic car wash</a>, where the rotating brushes gave him an idea. Using a tin can laced with fishing line and an <a href="/wiki/Edge_trimmer" class="mw-redirect" title="Edge trimmer">edge trimmer</a>, he tried out his idea, which worked. After some refinements, he shopped it around to several tool makers, who all rejected his invention. He went on to develop the garden tool himself. The first year, sales were over a half million <a href="/wiki/United_States_dollar" title="United States dollar">dollars</a>. By 1977 they were $80 million, and Ballas sold his company the following year to <a href="/wiki/Emerson_Electric_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Emerson Electric Company">Emerson Electric Company</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=George_Ballas&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-nytimes-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-nytimes_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-nytimes_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFDennis_Hevesi2011" class="citation news cs1">Dennis Hevesi (July 1, 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/business/02ballas.html?ref=deathsobituaries">"George Ballas, Inventor of the Weed Whacker, Dies at 85"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a></i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+New+York+Times&rft.atitle=George+Ballas%2C+Inventor+of+the+Weed+Whacker%2C+Dies+at+85&rft.date=2011-07-01&rft.au=Dennis+Hevesi&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2011%2F07%2F02%2Fbusiness%2F02ballas.html%3Fref%3Ddeathsobituaries&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGeorge+Ballas" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFValerie_J._Nelson2011" class="citation news cs1">Valerie J. Nelson (July 1, 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/george-ballas-dies-weed-eater-inventor-was-85/2011/07/03/AGCX5kwH_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage">"George Ballas dies; Weed Eater Inventor Was 85"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_Washington_Post" title="The Washington Post">The Washington Post</a></i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Washington+Post&rft.atitle=George+Ballas+dies%3B+Weed+Eater+Inventor+Was+85&rft.date=2011-07-01&rft.au=Valerie+J.+Nelson&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flocal%2Fobituaries%2Fgeorge-ballas-dies-weed-eater-inventor-was-85%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2FAGCX5kwH_story.html%3Fwprss%3Drss_homepage&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGeorge+Ballas" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-jul-03-la-me-george-ballas-20110703-story.html">"Archives - Los Angeles Times"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Los_Angeles_Times" title="Los Angeles Times">Los Angeles Times</a></i>. July 3, 2011. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.today/20140210175833/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/03/local/la-me-george-ballas-20110703">Archived</a> from the original on February 10, 2014.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Los+Angeles+Times&rft.atitle=Archives+-+Los+Angeles+Times&rft.date=2011-07-03&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Farchives%2Fla-xpm-2011-jul-03-la-me-george-ballas-20110703-story.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGeorge+Ballas" class="Z3988"></span> </span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.honoraryunsubscribe.com/george_ballas.html">George Ballas -- an Honorary Unsubscribe</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180123225533/http://www.honoraryunsubscribe.com/george_ballas.html">Archived</a> January 23, 2018, at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a> from the <i><a href="/wiki/This_is_True" title="This is True">This is True</a></i> Honorary Unsubscribe website</span> </li> </ol></div></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; 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