Ball

Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}}Template:Distinguish Template:Pp-semi-indef Template:Pp-move Template:Use mdy dates Template:Multiple image A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but sometimes ovoid)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch or juggling. Balls made from hard-wearing materials are used in engineering applications to provide very low friction bearings, known as ball bearings. Black-powder weapons use stone and metal balls as projectiles.

Although many types of balls are today made from rubber, this form was unknown outside the Americas until after the voyages of Columbus. The Spanish were the first Europeans to see the bouncing rubber balls (although solid and not inflated) which were employed most notably in the Mesoamerican ballgame. Balls used in various sports in other parts of the world prior to Columbus were made from other materials such as animal bladders or skins, stuffed with various materials.

As balls are one of the most familiar spherical objects to humans, the word "ball" may refer to or describe spherical or near-spherical objects.

"Ball" is used metaphorically sometimes to denote something spherical or spheroid, e.g., armadillos and human beings curl up into a ball, or making a fist into a ball.

Etymology

The first known use of the word ball in English in the sense of a globular body that is played with was in 1205 in Layamon's Brut, or Chronicle of Britain in the phrase, "Template:Lang" ("Some of them drove balls far across the fields.") The word came from the Middle English bal (inflected as ball-e, -es), in turn from Old Norse böllr (pronounced Template:IPA; compare Old Swedish baller, and Swedish boll) from Proto-Germanic ballu-z (whence probably Middle High German bal, ball-es, Middle Dutch bal), a cognate with Old High German ballo, pallo, Middle High German balle from Proto-Germanic *ballon (weak masculine), and Old High German ballâ, pallâ, Middle High German balle, Proto-Germanic *ballôn (weak feminine). No Old English cognate of any of these is known. (The hypothetical corresponding forms in Old English would have been beallu, -a, -e—compare bealluc, ballock.) If ball- was native in Germanic, it may have been a cognate with the Latin foll-is in sense of a "thing blown up or inflated." In the later Middle English spelling balle the word coincided graphically with the French balle "ball" and "bale" which has hence been erroneously assumed to be its source. French balle (but not boule) is assumed to be of Germanic origin, itself, however. In Ancient Greek the word πάλλα (palla) for "ball" is attested<ref>πάλλα Template:Webarchive, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus</ref> besides the word σφαίρα (sfaíra), sphere.<ref>σφαίρα Template:Webarchive, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus</ref>

History

File:Russian balls 12-13.jpg

Russian leather balls (Template:Langx), 12th-13th century.

Some form of game with a ball is found portrayed on Egyptian monuments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Homer, Nausicaa was playing at ball with her maidens when Odysseus first saw her in the land of the Phaeacians (Od. vi. 100). And Halios and Laodamas performed before Alcinous and Odysseus with ball play, accompanied with dancing (Od. viii. 370).<ref name="eb1911"/> The most ancient balls in Eurasia have been discovered in Karasahr, China and are 3000 years old. They were made of hair-filled leather.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ancient Greeks

Among the ancient Greeks, games with balls (σφαῖραι) were regarded as a useful subsidiary to the more violent athletic exercises, as a means of keeping the body supple, and rendering it graceful, but were generally left to boys and girls. Of regular rules for the playing of ball games, little trace remains, if there were any such. The names in Greek for various forms, which have come down to us in such works as the Ὀνομαστικόν of Julius Pollux, imply little or nothing of such; thus, ἀπόρραξις (aporraxis) only means the putting of the ball on the ground with the open hand, οὐρανία (ourania), the flinging of the ball in the air to be caught by two or more players; φαινίνδα (phaininda) would seem to be a game of catch played by two or more, where feinting is used as a test of quickness and skill. Pollux (i. x. 104) mentions a game called episkyros (ἐπίσκυρος), which has often been looked on as the origin of football. It seems to have been played by two sides, arranged in lines; how far there was any form of "goal" seems uncertain.<ref name="eb1911">Template:Cite EB1911</ref> It was impossible to produce a ball that was perfectly spherical;<ref name="Garland2008">Template:Cite book</ref> children usually made their own balls by inflating pig's bladders and heating them in the ashes of a fire to make them rounder,<ref name="Garland2008"/> although Plato (fl. 420s BC – 340s BC) described "balls which have leather coverings in twelve pieces".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Ancient Romans

Among the Romans, ball games were looked upon as an adjunct to the bath, and were graduated to the age and health of the bathers, and usually a place (sphaeristerium) was set apart for them in the baths (thermae). There appear to have been three types or sizes of ball, the pila, or small ball, used in catching games, the paganica, a heavy ball stuffed with feathers, and the follis, a leather ball filled with air, the largest of the three. This was struck from player to player, who wore a kind of gauntlet on the arm. There was a game known as trigon, played by three players standing in the form of a triangle, and played with the follis, and also one known as harpastum, which seems to imply a "scrimmage" among several players for the ball. These games are known to us through the Romans, though the names are Greek.<ref name="eb1911"/>

Modern ball games

The various modern games played with a ball or balls and subject to rules are treated under their various names, such as polo, cricket, football, etc.<ref name="eb1911"/>

Physics

In sports, many modern balls are pressurized. Some are pressurized at the factory (e.g. tennis, squash) and others are pressurized by users (e.g. volleyball, basketball, football). Almost all pressurized balls gradually leak air. If the ball is factory pressurized, there is usually a rule about whether the ball retains sufficient pressure to remain playable.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Depressurized balls lack bounce and are often termed "dead". In extreme cases, a dead ball becomes flaccid. If the ball is pressured on use, there are generally rules about how the ball is pressurized before the match, and when (or whether) the ball can be repressurized or replaced.

Due to the ideal gas law, ball pressure is a function of temperature, generally tracking ambient conditions. Softer balls that are struck hard (especially squash balls) increase in temperature due to inelastic collision.

On the contrary, in certain sports ball is solid, some with uniform material (e.g. most hockey variations, lacrosse), others with different layered materials (e.g. baseball, cricket). Finally, some sports use hollow ones (e.g. sepaktakraw, pickleball, floorball).

• Cross section of sport balls
• 
  Tennis
• 
  Golf
• 
  Baseball

In outdoor sports, wet balls play differently than dry balls. In indoor sports, balls may become damp due to hand sweat. Any form of humidity or dampness will affect a ball's surface friction, which will alter a player's ability to impart spin on the ball. The action required to apply spin to a ball is governed by the physics of angular momentum. Spinning balls travelling through air (technically a fluid) will experience the Magnus effect, which can produce lateral deflections in addition to the normal up-down curvature induced by a combination of wind resistance and gravity.

Specifications

Sport	Regulated by	Type	Shape	Circumference	Diameter	Weight	Pressure	Bounce	Material	Image
Bat and ball sports
Baseball<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	WBSC	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert	-		cork or rubber (core) yarn white horsehide or cowhide (case)	File:Baseball (crop).jpg
Softball<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert	-	0.47 e	long fiber kapok, mixture of cork and rubber or polyurethane mixture (core) twisted yarn and covered with latex or rubber cement horsehide or cowhide (case)	File:Yellow softball.jpg
Baseball5<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>		Filled with air, non inflatable		20.84 centimeters	6.64 centimeters	84,8 grams	Template:Convert (to press the ball into the center of inside by 30%)	76 centimeters (from 150 centimeters in height, drop to marble floor)	natural rubber
Pêl-Fas	IBB<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert				File:Wales Vs England Baseball International ball.jpg
Pesäpallo	Finnish Pesäpallo Association<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert				File:Pesäpallo ball.JPG
Cricket	ICC<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert	-			File:Cricket-ball-red-madeinaustralia.jpg
Oină	Romanian Oină Federation<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	24 centimeters	8 centimeters	140 grams			livestock hair leather (case)
Schlagball<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>		Filled with air, non inflatable	Sphere	19-21 centimeters	-	70-85 grams	-		red leather covered
Stoolball	Stoolball England<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert
Boules
Boccia	BISFed<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	26.2-27.8 cm	-	263-287 grames	-		vinyl, polyurethane fabric, leather, synthetic leather, suede	File:Boccia at the 2024 Summer Paralympics - September 8.jpg
Bocce volo (bowl)<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>	WPBF	Solid	Sphere	-	8.9-11.1 centimeters	900-1200 grams	-		metal or synthetic	File:Boule ferrée.jpg
Bocce volo (jack)<ref name=":0" />					3.5-3.7 centimeters	23-27 grams			wood
Petanque (boule)<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>				-	7.05-8 centimeters	650-800 grams	-		metal	File:Boule.kugel.jpg
Petanque (jack)<ref name=":2" />					2.9-3.1 centimeters	10-18 grams			wood or synthetic
Raffa (bowl)<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>				-	10.55-10.75 centimeters	895-925 grams	-		synthetic
Raffa (pallino)<ref name=":3" />					3.9-4.1 centimeters	83-97 grams
Cue sports
Carom<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	WCBS	Solid	Sphere	-	6.1-6.15 centimeters	205-220 grams	-			File:Carom billiards balls.jpg
Pool<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				-	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	-		cast phenolic resin plastic	File:Billiards 10 balls.jpg
Snooker<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				-	5.2-5.3 centimeters	-	-			File:Situació de snooker xinès.jpg
Football codes
American	IFAF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Lemon<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Convert (longitudinal) × Template:Convert (transversal)	Template:Convert (longitudinal)	Template:Convert	Template:Convert		urethane (bladder), case (leather)	File:Wilson American football.jpg
Canadian	Football Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>			Template:Convert (longitudinal) Template:Convert (transversal)	Template:Convert (longitudinal) Template:Convert (transversal)					File:Canadian football.png
Soccer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	FIFA	Inflatable	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	-	-	File:Football Pallo valmiina-cropped.jpg
Beach soccer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				68-70 centimeters	-	400-440 grams	Template:Convert	-	-	File:Beach soccer ball.jpeg
Futsal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				62-64 centimeters	-		Template:Convert	50-65 centimeters on the first rebound when dropped from a height of 2 meters	-	File:Pallone futsal Agla.jpg
Australian rules	AFL Commission<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Prolate spheroid	72 – 73 cm (elliptic) × 54.5 -55.5 cm (circular)	-	-	69 kilopascals		-	File:Sherrin.png
Gaelic and International rules	GAA<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	68-70 centimeters	-	480-500 grams	Template:Convert	0.5222-0.576 e when dropped from 1.8 meters	-	File:Gaelic football ball on pitch.jpg
Rugby league	IRL<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Prolate spheroid						leather	File:Steedenfootball.jpg
Rugby union	World Rugby<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>			74 - 77 centimeters (elliptic) × 58 - 62 centimeters (circular)	28-30 centimeters (longitudinal)	410 - 460 grams	Template:Convert		leather or synthetic material	File:Afghan Rugby.jpg
Handball
Indoor (with resine)	IHF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	58-60 centimeters	-	425-475 grams			leather or synthetic	File:Гандбол.jpg
Indoor (without resine)				55.5-57.5 centimeters	-	400-425 grams
Beach<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				54-56 centimeters	-	350-370 grams			rubber	File:Beach handball at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics – Girls Consolation Round – ASA-HKG 113.jpg
Hockey
Ball hockey	ISBHF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>		Sphere	-	6.6-7 centimeters	60-77 grams
Bandy and Rink bandy	FIB<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	-	6.1-6.5 centimeters	60-65 grams	-	15-30 centimeters on ice dropped from height of 1.5 meters	-	File:Bandy ball (Orange).JPG
Field<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and indoor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	FIH	Solid	Sphere	22.4-23.5 centimeters	-	156-163 grams	-		-	File:Balle de hockey sur gazon.jpg
Beach<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				45 centimeters	-	140-250 grams	-		-
Floorball	IFF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Hollow	Sphere	-	7.1-7.3 centimeters	22-24 grams	-	74-84 centimeters		File:Floorball ball.jpg
Roller	World Skate<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	-	7.2 centimeters	145-155 grams	-		pressed rubber/plastic	File:Roller-hockey-(Quad)-Ball.jpg
Lacrosse
Field<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Box<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	World Lacrosse	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert on wooden floor from height of Template:Convert	rubber	File:Brine lax ball.jpg
Sixes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				19.7-20.3 centimeters	-	-	-		elastomeric
Women<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				20-20.3 centimeters	-	142-149 grams	-	1.1-1.3 meters on wooden floor dropped from height of 1.8 meters
Intercrosse<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>			Sphere	23-25 centimeters	-	80-100 grams	-		rubber
Polo
Polo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	FIP	Solid	Sphere	-	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	-			File:Poloball.JPG
Arena<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				Template:Convert	-	130-182 grams		from Template:Convert on concrete at Template:Convert, Template:Convert rebound		File:Polobaelle für Sand und Schnee.jpg
Racquet sports
Pickleball<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Multiple	Hollow	Sphere	-	Template:Convert	Template:Convert		Template:Convert when dropped from a height of Template:Convert	Molded material with a smooth surface with between 26 and 40 evenly spaced circular holes	File:Pickleball yellow ball7.jpg
Squash	WSF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Filled with air, non inflatable	Sphere	-	3.95-4.05 centimeters	23-25 grams			-	File:Squash Ball Dunlop Revelation Pro 1.jpg
Table tennis	ITTF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Filled with air, non inflatable	Sphere	-	4 centimeters	2.7 grams	-		plastic	File:Assortment of 40 mm table tennis balls.jpg
Tennis	ITF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Filled with air, non inflatable	Sphere	-	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert		File:Tennis ball 01.jpg
Volleyball
Volleyball<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	FIVB	Inflatable	Sphere	65-67 centimeters	-	260 - 280 grams	Template:Convert		rubber (bladder), leather or synthetic leather (case)	File:Volleyball.jpg
Beach<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Snow<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>				66-68 centimeters	-		17.1-22.1 kilopascals			File:Mikasa VLS300 official beach volleyball.jpg
Other
Basketball	FIBA<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	75-77 centimeters	-	580-620 grams		1.035-1.085 meters dropped from height of 1.8 meters	leather, artificial/composite/synthetic leather	File:Basketball.png
Bowling<ref name=USBCgripping20140507>Template:Cite web</ref>	IBF	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	-		non-metallic	File:20190118B Plastic bowling ball fingertip grip.jpg
Cycle ball	UCI<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>		Sphere	-	17-18 centimeters	500-600 grams	-		textile (case)	File:20190530 Dresden - Die Welt der DDR - 082.jpg
Dodgeball	WDA<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	-	Template:Convert		Template:Convert		textile (case)
Gaelic games	GAA<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	-	Template:Convert	110-116 grams	-		leather (case)	File:A Hurling Sliotar.jpg
Goalball	IBSA<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Hollow	Sphere	75.5-78.5 centimeters	24-25 centimeters	1200-1300 grams			natural rubber with internal bells
Golf<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	IGF	Solid	Sphere	-	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	-		elastomeric material	File:Golfball.jpg
Korfball	IKF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	68-70.5 centimeters	-	445-475 grams		110-130 centimeters (from 180 centimeters in height)
Netball	World Netball<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert			leather, rubber or synthetic material.
Sepaktakraw	ISTAF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Hollow	Sphere	41-43 centimeters	-	170-180 grams	-		woven synthetic fiber	File:Takraw Ball 2014-08-20 10-44.jpg
Shinty	Camanachd Association<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Solid	Sphere	Template:Convert	-	Template:Convert	-		cork or rubber (core) worted leather or leather-like (case)
Tchoukball	FITB<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	58-60 centimeters	-	425-475 grams
Teqball	FITEQ<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	67-69 centimeter	-	370-400 grams	Template:Convert		leather or leather-like (case) latex (bladder)
Waterpolo and Canoe Polo	World Aquatics<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and ICF<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Inflatable	Sphere	68-71 centimeters	-	400-450 grams	Template:Convert			File:NewWaterPoloBall.JPG

See also

• Ball (mathematics)
• Buckminster Fullerene "Bucky balls"
• Dryer ball, used in a tumbling dryer
• Football (ball)
• Hockey puck, can also spin, bounce, and roll
• Marbles
• Penny floater
• Shuttlecock
• Super Ball

Gallery

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  Rubber band ball
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  Super Ball
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  Utility ball
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  Sponge ball
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  Plastic american football.
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  Disco ball
• Beach ball
  Beach ball