The Rubber Band Ball

In the summer of  2000, while working for a consulting company, a fellow programmer, Nick Mirigliani, took three or four rubber bands, tied them into a ball, and handed it to me. That day this little  ball became a lifelong obsession. 

Very quickly it grew to the size of a softball, then a soccer ball, and then a bowling ball. Now it’s close to the size of a basketball and weighs about 35 pounds.  I have tested it too. The ball  bounces.  According to Guinness, the largest rubber band ball weighs 9,032 pounds and is located in Lauderdale, Florida. My rubber band ball pales in comparison, but remains impressive nonetheless.

The ball sits on a rubber go-kart tire given to me by Mark Scopek, a co-worker from Blue Cross.  He has since passed away.  I call it the “Mark Scopek Memorial Rubber Band Ball Pedestal” in his memory.

All of the rubber bands on the ball have either been given to me, from newspapers, or just found randomly. I have not bought a single one and I add a rubber band to the ball just about every day. 

Should you have any rubber bands you would like to part with, Rubber band donations are graciously accepted at the barber shop.