What’s the Fuzz?
Explore the history of tennis balls, from its European origins to invention of the pressurized can.
"The grounds of a Renaissance Palace with episodes from the story of David and Bathsheba" (1538) by Lucas GasselInternational Tennis Hall of Fame
Tennis, a game played by millions around the world today, has its origins in 12th century Europe. More an evolution than an invention, tennis originated from court tennis, a game played in medieval monasteries and other walled spaces.
Court Tennis Ball Manufacture
Court tennis balls are very different from lawn tennis balls. These balls are handmade and usually consist of a cork core, fabric tape wound around it, and a hand-stitched cover of heavy wool or felt cloth. The balls are much less bouncy than lawn tennis balls and weigh more.
Rubber makes the balls bounce
From the beginning of lawn tennis in the 1870s, rubber, made from a vulcanization process invented by Charles Goodyear was used to manufacture lawn tennis balls.
Tennis Ball Factory (1930) by Henry Miller News Picture ServiceInternational Tennis Hall of Fame
Making tennis balls
Originally, tennis balls were made solely of rubber, but they would wear out quickly. Ultimately, longevity was improved by covering them with flannel stitched around the rubber core. In the 1920s, the balls were pressurized to get a more significant bounce and faster speeds.
Severe shortages during World War II
Shortages of strategic materials such as crude rubber and steel (for cans) forced manufacturers to alter production processes. However, wartime pressurized balls packed in cans or tins were usually made from synthetic rubber or from rubber cores manufactured before the war.
The Pill Ball
One method of recycling tennis balls involved injecting a chemical “pill” into their hollow centers with drops of water. The resulting chemical reaction re-inflated the ball. Many “pill balls” had a unique rattle and eventually lost pressure, resulting in later performance loss.
The "Victory" Tennis Ball
Another technology involved grinding up old rubber and forcing it into molds under heat and pressure. These balls generally had a thicker rubber wall, lacked pressurized centers, and frequently displayed black seams.
Historically, balls were either black or white, depending on the background color of the courts. In 1972, the ball's color changed from white to optic yellow. The new color made the ball easier to see on the television. Meanwhile, Wimbledon used the white ball until 1986.
Display of tennis ball containers at International Tennis Hall of Fame (2015)International Tennis Hall of Fame
Colorful packaging for tennis balls
Tennis ball containers come in a variety of styles, sizes and materials, ranging from the twelve-ball metal buckets, six-ball cardboard cartons to the more familiar four-ball and three-ball cans.
Until the mid-1920s, tennis balls were packaged and sold in cardboard boxes and bags, which did very little to preserve the lifespan of the balls. Like the tennis balls, packaging underwent significant innovations, which helped the ball's health overall.
Pressurized cans
In 1926, Pennsylvania Rubber Company released a cylindrical, airtight, and pressurized tennis ball can. This innovation launched a packaging arms race amongst manufacturers, which resulted in the development of various packaging for tennis balls.
To learn more about the colorful history of packaging for tennis balls, visit the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s online exhibit Tins, Cans, & Cartons at: cans.tennisfame.com/
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