Beach ball

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A beach ball

A beach ball is a large inflatable ball used in various games and other recreational activities traditionally conducted on the beach. Their large size and light weight means it takes little effort to propel one, and they travel slowly to their target, making them ideal for lazy games on hot days, though their lightness makes it difficult to play with them in strong wind.

The beach ball's invention is usually credited to Jonathon DeLonge in 1938.^[1]

[edit] Production

Beach balls are manufactured in a wide variety of sizes, with diameters ranging from a few inches to four feet. They generally consist of a set of soft plastic panels—two circular panels, one of which contains a valve for inflation, connected by a series of bulged-rectangle-shaped pieces, which are joined side-by-side and form most of the surface area of the ball.

There are many designs of beach balls. A common design features vertical solid colored stripes alternated with white stripes. Many companies uses beachballs as a form of advertisement, by printing them with their logo.

[edit] Uses

Beach balls are used for various recreational sports, including water polo and volleyball. They are much less expensive than the balls used in the official versions of these sports, but also much less durable, since, being made of soft plastic, they can be easily punctured, rendering the ball useless. Beach balls are also used in Head Volleyball. Giant beach balls are often hit around at outdoor rock concerts and baseball games.