THINGS: PADDLE BALL

The paddle ball is a one player toy created and patented in 1920. It has three simple components a wooden paddle, elastic string and a soft rubber ball.

The most paddle balls controlled simultaneously is 7 by Steve Langley. In the early days of 3-D it was used to demonstrate the effect.

Marilyn Monroe provocatively whacked around a paddle ball in the movie "The Misfits".

This toy is nearly 100 years old and hasn't gotten any easier to use. It has withstood the YoYo craze, the pogo stick movement and hoola hoop madness. We at More Familiar wanted to know why this toy has stuck around. Through intense research we have found it comes down to three factors, Novelty, Style and the All Might Dollar.

We are living in an age where old is cool, gray in the new blonde, 24 frames over 24 megapixels and the paddle ball is the next new must have accessory. We wouldn't be surprised to see paddle balls in your local Urban Outfitters in the next few months as a part of the latest fall fashion. It easily be placed on your shelf next to your record collection. So, while you and your friends talk about how vinyl sounds so much more real you can pick up your paddle ball and enhance the conversation with some period correct fun.

These puppies are also so cheap to produce its practically wrong no to make them. Loose reports show it cost only pennies to make and they retail for a crisp six bones. There are some smaller local paddle ball manufactures to consider when purchasing but you will pay more for those.

From what we've gathered the paddle ball is just the perfect toy so don't miss out go grab one today and start thwacking away.

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