Editing Football (ball) (section)

== Gridiron football ==
{{Main|Ball (gridiron football)}}

[[File:Wilson American football.jpg|thumb|[[American football]] ball]]
[[File:CFL football.jpg|thumb|[[Canadian football]] ball]]

In the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], the term football usually refers to a ball made of cow hide leather, which is required in professional and [[college football|collegiate]] football. Footballs used in [[recreation]] and in organized youth leagues may be made of [[rubber]] or plastic materials (the [[high school football]] rulebooks still allow the inexpensive all-rubber footballs, though they are less common than leather). Since 1941, [[Horween Leather Company]] has been the exclusive supplier of leather for National Football League footballs.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 February 2010 |title=The NFL's centenarians |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/story/2012/5/17/the-nfls-centenarians/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014175541/http://www.profootballhof.com/story/2012/5/17/the-nfls-centenarians/ |archive-date=14 October 2013 |access-date=27 March 2013 |publisher=Profootballhof.com}}</ref><ref name="google2">{{cite magazine |author=Scott Oldham |date=October 2001 |title=Bombs Away |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g88DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA67 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204031037/https://books.google.com/books?id=g88DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA67 |archive-date=4 February 2023 |access-date=17 October 2016 |magazine=Popular Mechanics}}</ref><ref name="google1">{{cite book |author=John Maxymuk |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gw3_obTNh4QC&pg=PA377 |title=NFL Head Coaches: A Biographical Dictionary, 1920–2011 |publisher=McFarland |year=2001 |isbn=9780786465576 |access-date=17 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204031041/https://books.google.com/books?id=Gw3_obTNh4QC&pg=PA377 |archive-date=4 February 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> The arrangement was established by [[Arnold Horween]], who had played and coached in the NFL.<ref name="chicagotribune2003">{{cite news |author=Barbara Rolek |date=27 October 2003 |title=Horween's leather bound by tradition |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/10/27/horweens-leather-bound-by-tradition/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513162245/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-10-27/business/0310270217_1_bob-clevenhagen-rawlings-glove |archive-date=13 May 2013 |access-date=27 March 2013 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> Horween Leather Company also supplies leather to [[Spalding (sports equipment)|Spalding]], supplier of balls to the [[Arena Football League]].<ref name="encyclopedia1">{{cite book |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3479900049.html |title=Horween Leather Company |publisher=encyclopedia.com |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718184440/http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3479900049.html |archive-date=18 July 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Leather panels are typically tanned to a natural brown color, which is usually required in professional leagues and collegiate play. At least one manufacturer{{who|date=December 2024}} uses leather that has been [[leather tanning|tanned]] to provide a "tacky" grip in dry or wet conditions. Historically, white footballs have been used in games played at night so that the ball can be seen more easily{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}} however, improved artificial lighting conditions have made this no longer necessary. At most levels of play (but not, notably, the [[National Football League|NFL]]), white stripes are painted on each end of the ball, halfway around the circumference, to improve nighttime visibility and also to differentiate the college football from the pro football{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}. However, the NFL once explored the usage of white-striped footballs – in [[Super Bowl VIII]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Kerry Byrne |title='The Duke' is back!" (subtitle - "The white stripes") |url=http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/the-duke-is-back/5291/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307041430/http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/the-duke-is-back/5291/ |archive-date=7 March 2014 |access-date=3 August 2006 |publisher=Coldhardfootballfacts.com}}</ref>

In the [[Canadian Football League|CFL]] the stripes traverse the entire circumference of the ball. The [[United Football League (2009)|UFL]] used a ball with lime-green stripes. The [[XFL (2001)|XFL of 2001]] used a novel color pattern, a black ball with red curved lines in lieu of stripes, for its footballs; this design was redone in a tan and navy color scheme for the [[Arena Football League (1987–2008)|Arena Football League]] in 2003. A ball with red, white and blue panels was introduced in the [[American Indoor Football]] League in 2005 and used by its successors, as well as the [[Ultimate Indoor Football League]] of the early 2010s and the [[Can-Am Indoor Football League]] during its lone season in 2017. The [[XFL (2020)|XFL of 2020]] uses standard brown but with X markings on each point instead of stripes.

Footballs used in gridiron-style games have prominent points on both ends. The shape is generally credited to official [[Shorty Ray|Hugh "Shorty" Ray]], who introduced the new ball in 1934 as a way to make the [[forward pass]] more effective.<ref name="BS">{{cite news |author=Seymour Smith |date=14 September 1966 |title=Pro Football To Honor Ray: Rules Advisor's Ideas Gave Game Needed Boost |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7676652/pro_football_to_honor_ray/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026002507/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7676652/pro_football_to_honor_ray/ |archive-date=26 October 2017 |access-date=25 October 2017 |newspaper=The Sun (Baltimore) |page=C4}}</ref>