To shine in society, there’s nothing like answering a question that no one has ever asked… except Michael Jordan fans. But to start, let’s test your knowledge with a little quiz.
Basketballs are orange because…
- basketball players love pumpkins and this color motivates them to chase the ball;
- basketball players despise footballers and want to distinguish themselves from them;
- the inventor of basketball was a redhead;
- This color helps colorblind basketball players see the ball better.
The correct answer… is not in the list above, but the last one is closest to reality.
A matter of visibility
If basketball dates back to 1891, its balls have only been orange since 1957. We owe this idea to the manufacturer Spalding, a major supplier of balls in the United States. A simple marketing stunt? Probably a little, but this choice also has very practical reasons. Indeed, orange catches the eye: whether for the players or for the spectators, this color helps to follow the ball more easily.
A matter of cleanliness
Another reason is purely aesthetic: white gets dirty easily and the multiple bounces experienced by a basketball tend to inflict marks and stains on it. Historically, white balloons quickly turned out to be… gray or brown. Orange avoids this disappointment, because the traces of the parquet merge with the color of the ball.
2024-01-26 08:06:47
#basketballs #orange
