Sunday, May 1, 2011

Old Soccer Balls - The Development of the Soccer Ball

The old soccer balls had been used during the early discovery of the sport soccer. Balls are made similar to the size of a pig's bladder. Because of its irregular size and form, the ball is quite difficult to control. No matter how skillful the player, it leads to undesirable directions because of its irregular shape.

Because of this condition of the ball, Charles Goodyear decided to create a much better ball to address the problem of early balls. Charles built the first patented ball made of rubber in 1855 which was vulcanized to form the required shape. This ball is now on display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

During 1863, the English Football Association gathered and created the Laws of the Game but there is no standardized rule on the description of the ball. In 1872, the association decided to include the official size and shape of the ball to be used in professional soccer.

The rules state the ball should be spherical in shape and measures 27 to 28 inches in circumference. The ball must be made of leather or other materials which is approved by the associations. This rule has not been changed and remained with FIFA's Law and is being used until today.

In later years, there are some modifications but only in terms of the materials and aesthetics wherein modern materials have been used to improve the ball's accuracy and durability.

Comparing the old soccer balls to the modern balls today, it shows great development which makes it more enjoyable to play the sport.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1542224

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