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Emerging from the roots of Rugby (Mid 1800's)
Rugby had already established itself as a divergence of the sport renowned internationally as football and as soccer within the US in the early 19th century, even taking on a unique design as that of a spherical prolate (not quite as sharp at the ends as a modern day football) on March 13, 1856. It is this design that began the hallmark of the sport known to the US as football. http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/timeline1850s.htm -
Inception of Football (Late 1800's)
The football itself began as a glorified rugby ball with slightly more pronounced ends; having an oblong shape along its contours when the game itself first began circa the late 1800's - specifically on November 8, 1869. The materials of the ball itself began with the use of inflated pig bladders, as was the case with rugby balls. http://www.hornetfootball.org/documents/football-history.htm -
Late 1800's (Continued)
Henry Duffield, an eyewitness to the first official rendition of the game on November 8, 1869 reported “The ball was not an oval but was supposed to be completely round. It never was, though — it was too hard to blow up right. ...They used it to unlock the small nozzle which was tucked into the ball, and then took turns blowing it up. The last man generally got tired and they put it back in play somewhat lopsided.” http://www.hornetfootball.org/documents/football-history.htm -
New Century (Early 1900's)
As early football was vastly different from its modern day counterpart, the ball itself was more rounded and less intensively oblong, namely for the purpose of kicking and chest passing. However, with the turn of the century, as new rules were implemented and officialized, the design itself began to change. Now pig bladders were replaced with refined leather in 1911 (precise date unspecified) http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/01/footballs-never-made-pigskin/ -
Early 1900's Continued
With football becoming an official sport acknowledged professionally as well as by high schools and colleges, the design evolved for the purpose of efficient forward throws/passes as well as one-handed catches, becoming more oblong in shape with narrower contours taking on a prolated spheroid shape in the year 1920 (Precise date unknown) http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/how-did-the-pigskin-get-its-shape-63180450/?no-ist -
Official Patent - JOHN E. MAYNARD
JOHN E. MAYNARD patented the American football ball on October 11, 1923; the original manufacturer of the said ball. https://www.google.com/patents/US1559117 -
Industry Production
By the mid 20th century with WW2 in full spring the sporting good company Wilson decided to assimilate the football designing process into their industry to create cheaper footballs while simultaneously raising funds for the war efforts within weeks after Pearl Harbor, specifically on December 18, 1941 http://www.wilson.com/en-us/explore/football/nfl.html -
Modern Day (1955-Present Day)
The year 1955 (precise date unspecified) brought the evolution of the football to an end, with its final rendition being branded and laced at a manufacturing plant in Ada, Ohio. This is the very same ball used today globally. http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-01/making-football
