Why a typical soccer ball is black and white mostl

We all love the game of soccer. The thrill, excitement & fun of the game are just unmatchable. Have you ever noticed the usual ball used in the game? Well, if not yet then please do it now. Yes, it is made with black & white patches. Let us go back little in history to understand why is it like that?

Most of us haven't seen the old age televisions with black & white pictures. These televisions were certainly revolutionary in their capacity but came with some limitations as well. In older times people used to play with basic textured & coloured balls. Only during 1970 football world cup, they realized that the older black & white television viewers will not be able to see the plain balls on their screen. Hence, the invention of the famous Telstar ball happened. The contracting black & white patches ensured that people can see the ball clearly despite the black & white screen. This ball almost became a tradition till the 2006 world cup.         

About the Ball:

The typical ball with black & white patches is called Buckyball popularly. This name is given after a famous designer & architecture Richard Buckminster Fuller. However, the official name given to the ball is a spherical polyhedron. This ball has 32 panels in total. Here, 12 panels are pentagons in shape & 20 are hexagons. 

Fun Fact:

Mankind invented the game of soccer long ago. However, we gradually developed the appropriate techniques & tools to play the same. Interestingly, some records suggest that initially, the game used to be played using an inflated pig's bladder. The same used to be covered using leather patches for the game. Well, thankfully no longer the same is required as various kinds of balls have been invented. 

Now as we know the reason behind the colour pattern, one thing is clear that it is no longer a requirement. With the rise & widespread use of colour televisions, we have already covered the limits of visibility. Still few games use this Telestar ball to follow the tradition. To break the monotony various kinds of balls have been invented & introduced to players but most players still prefer using the old & bouncy Telestar ball owing to its technical superiority.