I am annoyed with myself that I didn’t know about The Ball earlier. It’s been around for years. I should have known. Why didn’t I… *bangs head on desk*
Anyway… I do now and I want everybody to know. Don’t be like me and have a big lump on your forehead.
I’ll stop wittering and start explaining:
“The Ball has been described as football’s equivalent to the Olympic Torch. Every four years, The Ball kicks off from its “Mount Olympus”, Battersea Park in London, where the very first game of modern rules football took place in 1864. The Ball celebrates this moment – the conception of modern football – because it gave rise to a common set of rules which enable the whole world to play together. The Ball’s destination is the Opening Ceremony of the FIFA World Cup.”
“Instead of being passed from hand to hand like the torch, The Ball is played with in as many kick–abouts and games of football as possible along the way to the host country. It is more than just a symbol of fair play to be admired from afar — it invites people from all walks of life to share in the joy of participation by directly engaging them in playing the game and indirectly by connecting them to the World Cup.”
Nicked half their content there, but I would have probably just written a variation on the above.
This project is run by Spirit Of Football which is a not–for–profit community interest company dedicated to promoting a very special ball as the “star of the beautiful game” in the run–up to each World Cup.
The Ball’s tour started in January, it visited Western Europe, North America and the next stop will be El Salvador on the Central American stretch. After that some South American countries before finally reaching Brazil.
One of the stops on the tour was in Barcelona and as well as them getting everybody to have a kick-about, they got a few recognisable faces to sign the ball:
Now the reason why this post has suddenly appeared is not just because of the need to highlight the project but also because there’s a football and music angle to it…
The band New Model Army recorded a tune to help promoted the Spirit of Football and dedicated it to The Ball:
You can purchase this song via Amazon (UK) or Amazon (USA). Via iTunes (UK) or iTunes (USA).
Wherever you go to buy your music, just buy it.
Bonus: Something from the archives from also from New Model Army. This one is called Song To The Men Of England but is not about the England team, but a musical version of a poem “Song: To The Men Of England” by Percy Bysshe Shelley. The poem, written during the Industrial Revolution was a call to the workers to rise up. More about that here.
» New Model Army – Song To The Men Of England
Those links for you again:
⇒ The Ball: http://theball.tv
⇒ Spirit of Football: http://spiritoffootball.com
Nice one Webby. I never knew about this either. Great idea, even better to get a new New Model Army song out of it as well!