Ball. The ball, considered the most important piece of equipment for the game, is spherical in form and is often constructed of synthetic fiber. A hand-woven layer is also employed in some circumstances. The ball was originally constructed of rattan strips, which were subsequently replaced by synthetic strips. Today, any material can be used for a ball if it is not too heavy (a wood ball would be unplayable) and is not treated with chemicals or oils.
The size of a ball depends on the type of play being conducted. For example, a basketball will have properties different from those of a volleyball. Handball has a ball that is much smaller than court-size balls used in other games such as football and soccer.
In general, the weight of a ball should be no more than 20% of a player's body weight. Overweight balls are harder to handle and control.
As far as shape is concerned, court-size balls are usually smooth and sometimes have panels or stripes added for aesthetic purposes. Size of a ball varies according to the type of play being conducted; basketballs are larger than handballs. As far as construction is concerned, all courts use balls that are now almost entirely manufactured under factory conditions. However, some modern sports balls are now being made using hand-weaving techniques instead. These balls are very expensive but are said to provide superior air circulation and feel when played with.
A ball can be manufactured of a variety of materials, the most popular of which being leather, rubber, and synthetics. Balls constructed from local materials, notably animal parts, were historically common. Modern balls are usually made by machines.
Balls are used in games such as baseball, cricket, tennis, and floorball. In sports that use a ball, such as soccer and rugby, players use their feet to kick or punt the ball. In sports that use a bat instead, such as baseball and softball, players use their arms to throw or hit the ball.
In combat sports such as boxing and MMA, fighters use balls their bodies to strike each other with. In wrestling, fighters use their legs to trip their opponents or submit them by holding their hands above their heads.
The word "ball" is also used in a more general sense for any spherical object, such as: a basketball; a bowling ball; a cannonball; an eggshell; a golf ball; a planet Earth; a sun-moon-spacecraft system; etc.
There are many different types of balls used in various sports.
Materials Collection and Processing Soccer balls are formed of both natural and man-made materials, such as plastic, which is derived from petroleum rubber, plants, or synthetic cotton, which is derived from plants. Leather and other animal goods Before they can be formed into balls, these materials must be treated in factories. Plastic pellets are melted down to make new plastic products. The rubber from scrapped tires is shredded and used to form new soccer balls.
The cover of the ball needs to be abrasion-resistant and should feel soft to the touch. It also needs to hold its shape, so it doesn't leak air when kicked. These requirements mean that leather is still the material of choice for making soccer balls.
Leather balls are split open at the top and bottom with an ax and then sewn up with leather threads. This process creates a pocket inside the ball through which the string passes. The strings are then tied in a knot at each end, leaving enough slack to bend the ball into different shapes or keep it in place while you walk with it.
Soccer balls have been manufactured since the early 1900s, even before there was any international play to observe and report on how games were being played. So information about what kind of ball was used in certain countries comes from historical sources or conjectural guesses by others who played or watched soccer.
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