Spalding (sports equipment)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spalding is a sporting goods company founded by Albert Spalding in Chicago in 1876 and now headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts. The company specialises in the production of balls for many sports, being perhaps most well known for its basketballs, but it also makes a range of products for baseball, soccer, softball, volleyball, American football and golf.
Spalding became a division of the Russell Corporation in 2003.[1] However, that deal did not encompass Spalding's golf operations, which included the Top-Flite, Ben Hogan and Strata brands, which were eventually bought out by Callaway later the same year.[2]
Spalding is a leading producer of basketballs, and has been the official ball supplier to the NBA since 1983. The company also provides the official ball of the Arena Football League, an indoor American football league.
The company was one of the first to use high profile athletes to endorse their products when tennis player Pancho Gonzales was signed to an exclusive endorsement contract.
Spalding produced the well-known "Spaldeen" high-bounce rubber ball, said to be a re-use of defective tennis ball cores, that was sold to city children from 1949.
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[edit] Baseball
When Albert Spalding, one of the earliest star baseball players, founded his sporting goods store in 1876, he would go on to bring several innovations to the young game. He popularized the use of the baseball glove in 1877, and standardized the baseball itself soon afterward. At one point Spalding, who wrote the first official rule book for baseball, said that only Spalding balls could be used in the National League.[citation needed]
[edit] Basketball
Since developing the first basketball in 1894,[3] Spalding has made many technological advancements in relation to basketballs. For example, their Infusion technology features a built in micro pump which allows the user to add air without the need for a pump or needle. This has since been developed to also allow air to be released. Spalding has also developed technology which is designed to prevent air from leaking out as it does in traditional basketballs.
In 2006, Spalding, along with the NBA, announced that they would release a new NBA Official Game Ball, with interlocking segments and made with a synthetic material instead of leather.[4] However, many NBA players complained that the new composite ball became extremely slick after use, wouldn't bounce as high and bounced awkwardly off the rim and backboard. Players also complained that the new ball cut their fingers. As a result, from January 1 2007, the NBA reverted back to the old leather balls.[5]
[edit] Photos
 An advertisement from 1888 |
 A Spalding basketball |
 A Spalding soccerball |
[edit] References
- ^ "COMPANY NEWS; RUSSELL IS BUYING MOST OF SPALDING SPORTING GOODS UNIT". New York Times. April 18, 2003. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9505E4D6173AF93BA25757C0A9659C8B63. Retrieved on 2008-10-15.
- ^ "COMPANY NEWS; CALLAWAY GOLF BEATS OUT ADIDAS TO BUY TOP-FLITE". New York Times. September 5, 2003. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9501E5DD1E38F936A3575AC0A9659C8B63. Retrieved on 2008-10-15.
- ^ "2006 - 07 NBA primer". Rocky Mountain News. October 31, 2006. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nba/article/0,2777,DRMN_23922_5105755,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-10-15.
- ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; N.B.A. Is Getting a Grip on a New Synthetic Game Ball". New York Times. June 29, 2006. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9401E1DC1430F93AA15755C0A9609C8B63. Retrieved on 2008-10-15.
- ^ "N.B.A. Says New Ball Is Not Worth the Pain". New York Times. December 12, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/sports/basketball/12ball.html. Retrieved on 2008-10-15.
