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( Ball)
Balls are objects typically used in games. They are usually spherical but can be ovoid. In most games using balls, the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch, marbles and juggling. Balls made from hard-wearing metal are used in engineering applications to provide frictionless bearings, known as ball bearings. Although many types of balls are today made from rubber, this form was unknown outside the Americas until after the voyages of Columbus. The Spanish were the first Europeans to see bouncing rubber balls (albeit solid and not inflated) which were employed most notably in the Mesoamerican ballgame. Balls used in various sports in other parts of the world prior to Columbus were made from other materials such as animal bladders or skins, stuffed with various materials. The first known use of the word ball in English in the sense of a globular body that is played with was in 1205 in La?amon's Brut, or Chronicle of Britain in the phrase, "Summe heo driuen balles wide ?eond Þa feldes." The word came from the Middle English bal (inflected as ball-e, -es, in turn from Old Norse böllr (pronounced [b?l?r]; compare Old Swedish baller, and Swedish boll) from Proto-Germanic ballu-z, (whence probably Middle High German bal, ball-es, Middle Dutch bal), a cognate with Old High German ballo, pallo, Middle High German balle from Proto-Germanic *ballon (weak masculine), and Old High German ballâ, pallâ, Middle High German balle, Proto-Germanic *ballôn (weak feminine). No Old English representative of any of these is known. (The answering forms in Old English would have been beallu, -a, -e -- compare bealluc, ballock.) If ball- was native in Germanic, it may have been a cognate with the Latin foll-is in sense of a "thing blown up or inflated." In the later Middle English spelling balle the word coincided graphically with the French balle "ball" and "bale" which has hence been erroneously assumed to be its source. French balle (but not boule) is assumed to be of Germanic origin, itself, however. The official match football of the 2006 FIFA World Cup
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Ball Subcategories
Ball Articles
Drop the Weight Before "the Ball" Drops by Chris Tomshack
There’s no reason to wait for the New Year before you begin a healthier way of life. If you’re like the countless others who have stalled their diet plans to coincide with the beginning of a New Year’s resolution, why not start your focus on losing i...
Hoodia and Powerballs, the Weight Loss Products by Jason Stevenson
The weight loss industry is one of the largest commercial industries that exists. One of the reasons why it is so large is because there are so many people that are trying to lose weight at any given time. Although many people are serious about wei...
Hairballs and Tooth Decay by Troy Foote
Hairballs
While hairballs are normal for a cat to some extent, you should contact you veterinarian immediately if you think the problem is out of control.
Cats get hairballs mainly because they spend so much time cleaning themselves. ...
The Ultimate Way to be Motivated to Lose Weight by sydney hayes
Lose Weight and make $300 a day. Believe it! The people at Team Beachbody, the people behind P90X, are committed to helping everyone who decides to take advantage of the trail offer to lose weight in an exciting way. Literally, your search to f...
Build Muscle Up and Increase Flexibility with Kettleball Training by Shaun Taylor
While Kettleballs have been around for nearly 100 years in countries such as Russia, their use was not widespread until recent years. In America, kettleball training is just exploding, thanks to some very unique benefits that you can achieve with ket...
Nike Air Jordans by Debra Proctor
The most popular shoe that Nike manufactures is the Air Jordan. This shoe was created for and endorsed by Michael Jordan. The shoe was developed in 1984 by a sub-division of Nike called Jordan...
How to Lose Weight - 5 Tips to Help You Burn the Fat and Keep it Off by Joe Stewart
Losing weight can be hard, however keeping it off is is even tougher. There are several weight loss programs that educate you on how to lose the weight, but here are five ways to keep it off for good. Tip #1: Do not crash diet to lose weight....
Weight Loss Products to Help You in Your Dieting Efforts by Jason Stevenson
The world seems to be in a rather dangerous situation now, not only because of the things that we hear on the news but because of the additional weight that many of us are carrying around. Because of the world that we live in which tends to promote a...
Exercising without Effort on Your Part by Jason Stevenson
There are plenty of people who are interested in losing weight but unfortunately, many of us find ourselves in situations where we are unable to do so. Perhaps it is a matter of us not having enough time or just a lack of motivation that is necessary...
Outdoor Sports And Your Health by Steven Lancey
Nearly all people are aware of the benefits of exercising. However, still they lead a lifestyle that is relatively sedentary and not active. Nowadays, almost everyone is in a fitness crisis that is spreading everywhere and affecting the productivi...
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