The Evolution of the Soccer Ball By dylankline43 200 The Soccer Ball First Appears 200 AD- Tsu chu, a game where a ball is passed through a net kept up by two poles, is played by the Chinese using balls made of animal skins. Other early civilizations such as the Romans, Greeks, & Egyptians utilized similar materials to make a makeshift ball. Other balls are made out of pig bladders to be used to play a game that is comparable to present day hacky sack. Jan 1, 1855 The Soccer Ball Begins Its Journey to Modernization 1855- Charles Goodyear creates the first soccer ball made out of rubber. This rubber is vulcanized, which means that it is strengthened from a natural rubber through the addition of a substance, for example sulfur. These pieces of rubber were stuck together around a pig's bladder and connected by seams. The vulcanized rubber was implemented to ensure that the shape of the ball was a sphere so that the ball regularly went to the intended target of the passer or shooter. Oct 8, 1862 The Inflatable Bladder Is Innovated H.J. Lindon develops the first inflatable rubber bladder. Lindon’s motive for this innovation could lay in the death of his wife, who died of lung disease caused by repeatedly blowing air into the pig’s bladder. This innovation not only made the ball easier to kick; the rubber bladder kept the ball hard and oval. This ensured that it was durable enough to last throughout an entire game without popping. </a> Jan 1, 1872 The Official Ball Regulations are Set 1872- The official ball regulations are laid out by the English Football Association. They stated that all balls had to be 27 to 28 inches in circumference with a weight of 13 to 15 ounces. These regulations would stay in place until 1937, when the ball weight was increased to being 14 to 16 ounces. Jan 1, 1888 Mass Production of Soccer Balls Begins 1888- Soccer ball begin to be mass produced by the companies Mitre and Thomlinson’s of Glasgow. When the English Football League was founded, the demand for soccer balls increased. Therefore, the supply increased. The highest quality balls were made with leather from the butt of a cow, while the lesser quality ones were made with the leather from a cow’s shoulder. The different qualities of leather determined how well the ball held it’s shape over time. Jan 1, 1940 Little Tweaks to Improve the Endurance of the Ball Early 1940’s- The ball is made stronger and more reliable with the addition of an extra layer between the bladder and the outer shell. Another layer made out of a synthetic material was added to the inside of the ball to prevent water from getting into the ball and affecting the way the ball moves. Jan 1, 1951 Soccer Balls Gain Visibility on the Field 1951- The soccer ball is introduced in white. By washing the leather outside in a substance to turn it white, the ball was easier on the field and from the stands. A method of turning the ball orange was also introduced for when it was snowy outside. This innovation also made it to where the ball was easier to see. Jan 1, 1960 The Stereotypical Soccer Ball Makes Its Debut 1960’s- The outer layer of the ball is made entirely with synthetic material. This version of the soccer ball includes 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal pieces that were stitched around the bladder to make a sphere. The introduction of black spots on the ball helped players work on curving the ball while also watching how it spun and curved. These balls, innovated by R. Buckminster Fuller, made their first appearance in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
