Magic: The Gathering was commercially launched in 1993 and became incredibly popular. Richard joined Wizards of the Coast as a full-time game designer in June 1994, after leaving his job as professor of mathematics at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.
Garfield created a card especially to propose to his then-girlfriend, Lily Wu, called 'Proposal'. Legend has it that she wanted to go out on the night he was planning to propose, but he convinced her to stay in and play 'Magic' instead. It is said that it took seven games before he was able to draw the card and propose! The 'Proposal' card is considered extremely rare by collectors.
Richard also personally designed a card for the birth of each of his two children, Terry and Schuyler. At Terry's birth 'Splendid Genesis' was created and at the birth of Schuyler he created 'Fraternal Exaltation'. Both the cards were professionally printed and a few were handed out to family and friends.
Richard Garfield still sporadically contributes to Magic: The Gathering.
