# Utility ball

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A **utility ball** is a spherical, inflated [ball](/source/Ball) used in several kinds of playground games and sports. It is also known as a **playground ball** or named after the games in which it is used, such as **dodgeball** and **kickball**. Utility balls were introduced in the mid-20th century and have continued to be used in various games.

## History

The first dedicated utility balls were introduced by American manufacturer [Voit](/source/Voit) shortly after [World War II](/source/World_War_II) and became popular within a few years, being adapted to several games such as [dodgeball](/source/Dodgeball) and [kickball](/source/Kickball) that had previously been played with harder objects, like [basketballs](/source/Basketball_(ball)).[1] The softer ball was safer and easier to adapt to other games, such as [four square](/source/Four_square).[2][3]

## Specifications

Utility balls are typically made of [polyvinyl chloride](/source/Polyvinyl_chloride) or [rubber](/source/Rubber) and have a diameter of 8.5 inches (220 mm) and weigh between 11.6 to 13.3 oz.[1] The balls are often made with ribbing for grip and are inflated to 2 pounds per square inch (14 kPa).[2]

## See also

- [Funnel ball](/source/Funnel_ball), a piece of playground equipment sometimes played with utility balls

## Sources

1. Chetwynd, Josh (2011). [*The Secret History of Balls: The Stories Behind the Things We Love to Catch, Whack, Throw, Kick, Bounce and Bat*](https://archive.org/details/secrethistoryofb0000chet/). New York City, New York, United States: Perigee Trade. pp. 174–175. ISBN 9780399536748. LCCN 2010054221.

1. Applebaum, Ben; DiSorbo, Dan; Ferrari, Michael (2016-02-23). "The Playground Ball 101". *Recess: From Dodgeball to Double Dutch*. Chronicle Books, LLC. p. 134. ISBN 9781452146287.

1. Foster, J. Paul (March 1955). "Four Squares". *Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation*. **26** (3): 63. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Utility ball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_ball) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_ball?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.