Throughout centuries, people have practiced soccer in many formats. The Chinese sport of tsu-chu, reportedly established by Emperor Huang-Ti in 1697 B.C., is the world’s oldest soccer-like activity. Every sport needs a tool to play. Soccer is also the same as the participants needing a ball to play a soccer match. Now, you must be excited to know the origin of the idea of the soccer ball. Who put forward the idea!!!
Though people have played soccer in other forms in ancient times, the modern soccer tools are not that old. In this article, we will discuss the evolutionary history of the soccer ball and how it shapes in the modern form.
Who had invented the soccer ball?
Charles Goodyear is the inventor of the modern-day soccer ball. He had invented modern-day soccer in 1855. Moreover, he was a self-taught scientist and production expert from the United States who created the rubber vulcanization method. In the factory situated in Springfield, Massachusetts, Goodyear had successfully developed the vulcanized rubber. He prepared it with Indian rubber after years of experimentation to make a soccer ball. He had patented the first round soccer ball of history on June 15, 1844, under the United States Patent Office’s patent #3633.
What material was the first soccer ball made of?
It is believed that the first soccer ball was made of pig’s bladder. People used to play with a pig’s bladder or an animal’s skull in earlier times. Because of the round shape, it was easier for them to use these things. But with the advancement of science, new technology and ideas came into the human mind.
The first-round soccer ball
The first-round soccer ball was made of rubber vulcanization method. Vulcanization is a biochemical method that entails heating latex at 140–160°C with the accelerator, sulfur, and activator. Charles Goodyear had come with the idea of the soccer ball. The National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, New York, USA, has the soccer ball of Charles Goodyear on exhibit.
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The first inflatable rubber soccer ball
In 1862, H. J. Lindon developed the next form of the soccer ball. In addition, he developed a light-weighted inflatable rubber ball model. It was also far lighter than the rubber ball of Charles Goodyear.
How have soccer balls changed over time?
To add better stability to the sport, the English Football Association decided to provide weight and diameter specifications for soccer balls a couple of years later. The association has fixed the weight to 13-15 Oz and circular with a diameter of 27” to 28” for the soccer ball.
Material of the soccer ball
Meanwhile, soccer has become one of the most popular sports, and the mass production of soccer balls have started after this declaration. The companies used to gather the leather from the rump of the cow for the high-quality soccer ball. On the other hand, they used to collect the material for mediocre quality soccer balls from the shoulder of the cow. But, these soccer balls had a drawback as they were hand-made products. The soccer balls had prepared with hand-stitching tanned leather layers with a hole. The hole allows an artificial bladder to fit into the ball. So, the durability wasn’t that long.
The modern period of soccer & the design of soccer ball
Soccer had gained an immense amount of popularity in the 1900s. So, a more durable version was the need of time. In 1940, a thick liner had been added between the bladder and the outer layer of the soccer ball. It was helpful to enhance the longevity of the ball. Furthermore, the production companies had started to use artificial, non-porous components for the exterior coating to make the ball waterproof.
Black & white soccer ball
With the official release of the white soccer ball in 1951, soccer had gained more prominence. Architect R. Buckminster Fuller designed the classic soccer ball. He added the black pentagons in his design. To make a spherical, he had put 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal segments together. The black pieces were included to help athletes to understand how to twist and chase a soccer ball.
Adidas had prepared the black and white soccer ball for the 1970 world cup final. They had also used 32 panels to make the soccer ball.
The elaborate pattern of the soccer ball did not stop there. The journey of the soccer ball is going on till today. Many manufacturers have lately released the new high-tech soccer ball design and materials. For a soccer lover like you, we tried our best to share authentic information in the article. We are also hoping for better designs and shapes to come into the market with the advancement of technologies in the future. Whether, it is the invention year or person, or history and materials of the first soccer ball. If you have missed something, revisit our article once more.