14-Foot Ball Gives Swimmers Thrill (Nov, 1928)

14-Foot Ball Gives Swimmers Thrill

A FOURTEEN foot ball with over 100 handholes is providing much sport for bathers at southern California beaches.

The ball is made of sheet iron laid over a network framing of angle iron. It is, of course, hollow and very buoyant. The object is for one group of players to submerge the colors of their opponents. For this reason, the two halves of the ball are painted brilliantly in contrasting colors.

Before a game is played, the ball is partly submerged by filling it with water. This robs it of some of its tricky buoyancy, and by crawling hand over hand on the ball the more daring players lend their weight to submerging the other side. This results in much skill being developed by the players in maneuvering the ball.

It is not an uncommon sight to see fifty bathers engaged in the serious fun of submerging the colors of the opposing side. Such games often last for hours at a time.

It is impossible for any of the participants to become hurt through contact with the ball, as the outside is covered with a rubber sheeting.