Rubber band ball

A rubber band ball made of 250 rubber bands.

A rubber band ball is a bouncy ball, made by wrapping rubber bands around a core, until the desired size is achieved.[1]

Notable rubber band balls

The world's largest rubber band ball was created by Joel Waul. He is the current World Record Holder according to the Guinness World Records. The ball, which previously sat under a tarp in Waul's driveway, weighs 9,032 pounds (4,097 kg), is more than 8 feet (2.4 m) tall, and consists of more than 700,000 rubber bands. It set the world record on November 13, 2008, in Lauderhill, Florida.[2] The ball is now owned by Ripley's Believe it or Not!

Steve Milton previously held the record for the biggest rubber band ball. During the construction of his rubber band ball, he was sponsored by OfficeMax, who sent him rubber bands to use for his ball.[3]

Before Steve Milton, the record was held by John Bain of Delaware. His ball weighs around 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg), consisting of over 850,000 rubber bands. The bands were donated by two companies: Alliance Rubber and Textrip/Stretchwell Inc.[4]

History

The rubber band ball’s origins go as far back as the ancient Mesoamerican peoples of South America. The Mesoamerican ball game, also known as ōllamaliztli, was a brutal sport with ritual associations played as early as 1400 B.C. by the pre-Columbian peoples of ancient Mexico and Central America. The rules of the sport are unknown, but what is known is that an ancient precursor to the rubber band ball may have been used in the game.

The ball was a solid mass, enveloped within a casing of rubber, which was produced by refining the sap of various trees in the area. The process started with a small stone or pebble over which many thin vines were wrapped. The wrapping of the ball continued until the ball reached a size appropriate for their game and was then immersed in the sap of the local rubber trees. Left to soak for forty days and forty nights, each vine that comprised the ball became coated in the rubber substance, giving each strand superior elasticity and thus, the ability to bounce around the court.

Rubber band balls are often made from scratch, but can also be purchased pre-made or created using kits.

References

  1. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Recordball.com. Retrieved 2012-09-15.
  2. ↑ Damien Cave, "In Florida, Fond Farewell for a 5-Ton Ball of Rubber Bands", New York Times (October 29, 2009).
  3. ↑ …Steve Milton has one large rubber band ball? at Didnt You Hear…
  4. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". Recordball.com. Retrieved 2012-09-15.
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