ball: Ball with Monster Face

In the 1980, AmToy set-up a division called Those Characters From Cleveland to merchandise ideas. The division experienced immediate success with Care Bears and Holly Hobby. With the intention of targeting the boy market, their think tank came up with Madballs. The original concept for Madballs came from the classic game of Hot Potato����_��one team member depicted a potato with a grotesque face. Other toys on the shelves at the time included Slime, Garbage Pail Kids, Boglins, and Dr. Dreadful����_��s Freaky Food Lab. Kids loved to be repulsed. When Madballs hit the market, it proved an instant success. The toy flew off the shelves and many parents tried to rationalize such purchases. Psychologist Brenda Baker suggested that ����_�children find gross toys fun because that����_��s sort of where they are developmentally. These toys aren����_��t gross to them. They����_��re fun and funny.����_�_ Madballs later appeared in comic books, in video games, and on the runway. Many manufacturers attempted to duplicate the popular product. This yellow ball was likely purchased from a vending machine.