Ball Games – An Introduction
A ball is actually a round irregular object with many different uses. For instance, it is widely used in ball games, in which the sport of ball playing follows the movement of the ball once it is struck, tossed or thrown by competing players. Balls can be used for simple activities, like juggling or catch, while more complicated balls like tennis rackets are used in Olympic sports and competitions. It was not until sometime ago that a ball was attached to something that you could control when it was rolling and bouncing, and this device became known as the ball. The first known ball was discovered by the ancient Romans and they used it for fishing.
Ancient Greeks developed the art of throwing spears and using balls during their war games. Later, during the Roman period, the Roman army adopted the use of ball play in their conflicts against the enemy. As a result, the soldiers’ advantage over the enemy was greatly reduced because they were unable to keep track of each other on the battlefield. In the middle ages, a ball was developed and used by both sides in Italian and French Wars. The game of ball was not only confined to the soldiers, but also to the peasants who could throw them at one another during street fights.
In our time, the influence of ball games spread all over the world, because of how popular they are now. They are played everywhere from school rooms to big stadiums and in almost every country there is a ball sport. The most common type of ball game is volleyball, which is mainly played with two teams on an enclosed court. However, there are many others available: catch, pole vault, field hockey, softball, beach volleyball, soccer, baseball, netball, and American football.
Ballroom dances are usually accompanied by music and fire crackers, which add excitement to the entire event. Two people dance together in a romantic manner, throwing their large round balls to one another. This type of dance is often called a ballet dance in Europe and is closely related to ballroom dancing. Ballet dancers also use two large balls that weigh around 400 grams each. They toss the balls to each other, balancing them with the use of their feet.
In pop dance music, the use of a ball is very common. Ballroom dances such as the cha-cha, trot step, salsa, meringue and mambo have been copied in different variations all over the world. In some countries, dancing with large balls is called balustrades and in Spain it is called forth.
In the ancient Greeks, ball play was a part of daily life because most people in those times did not have the money to buy hoops or any other ball equipment. Most children in these times would play ball games such as hop-around and hop-on-hop off. These games would usually last for half an hour and were often fun to do. Ancient Greeks would often throw their balls around to each other because it was more enjoyable than trying to catch the falling stones.