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Jan 1, 600
The Greeks and Romans Play Soccer
Imagine kicking a skull or pig's bladder around an open field to pass the time. If you lived in medieval days or even prior to the twentieth century, that's what you may have been doing.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/51296/evolution-soccer-balls -
Balls in 1800's
In 1855, Charles Goodyear designed and built the first vulcanized rubber soccer balls. In the 1862, H.J. Lindon developed one of the first inflatable rubber bladders for balls.Mass production of soccer balls started as a direct consequence of the English Football League that was founded in 1888.
http://www.soccerballworld.com/History.htm#Balls in 1800's -
Balls in 1900's
By the 1900's bladders were made with stronger rubber and could withstand heavier pressure. Most balls had a tanned leather cover with eighteen sections stitched together arranged in six panels of three strips each. Each section was stitched together by hand with five-ply hemp. These balls were good for kicking but was painful when heading due to the heavy stitching and the water absorption characteristics of the leather.
http://soccer.epicsports.com/soccer-ball-history.html -
Synthetic/The Buckminster Balls
It was not until the late 1980's that synthetic leather totally replaced the leather ball. Early footballs were sewn up with laces. These days, footballs are made from synthetic leather patches sewn together in a design based on the "Buckminster Ball". The shape is a series of hexagons, pentagons and triangles, which can be fitted together to make a round surface.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/51296/evolution-soccer-balls -
2000 and Beyond
Developments in soccer ball design is continuing. Many companies have recently come out with new high tech materials and designs for soccer balls. The object is to develop the optimum soccer ball that is flight accurate, water proof, fast in flight and transfers all of your kicking force to the ball, has soft feel, and is safe to head the ball.
http://www.soccerballworld.com/Historypg2.htm#2000
