Patent Attorney and Founder
Hi everyone, I’m J.D. Houvener, and welcome to the Bold Today Show where you, the inventor, entrepreneur, or business owner, can get your daily dose of inspiration to make the world a better place. Happy Monday, everybody! We’re in a really fun time of year that happens only once every four years, just like the Olympics— it’s the FIFA World Cup. If you’re a soccer fan, you probably knew about this, but if not, well, surprise! In commemoration of the World Cup, we’re having a two-week-long series covering different types of patents and IP around soccer.
This first week, we’ll tackle some exciting projects and ideas all around the soccer ball, exploring its evolution from ancient Chinese history around 250 BC, where they used animal skin filled with air, to today’s innovative soccer balls. The detail level of the soccer ball itself is quite fascinating.
Let’s start with ancient China, during the Qin and Han dynasties. At this time, soccer, or football as the rest of the world calls it, involved kicking an animal skin ball between two posts with a net. Fast forward to medieval times, where legend has it that opposing cities would taunt each other by kicking a skull between town squares. A bit gruesome, but still a form of sport.
In the mid-1800s, the first true invention of the soccer ball as we know it emerged, replacing animal skins and pig bladders. It’s been a journey from those early days to the innovative soccer balls we have today.
I hope you enjoy these examples and have some fun with this week’s discussions about soccer. Share this with someone who might enjoy the series, and I’d love to hear comments and feedback. If you’re a soccer enthusiast, join in the fun and cheer on your favorite team. Again, I’m your host J.D. Houvener of the Bold Today Show. Have a great day, everyone! Go big, go bold!