Abstract: A ball, such as a soccer ball, comprises a sphere having a surface, a plurality of smooth portions on the surface of the sphere, and a plurality of flexible fin-like projections protruding from the surface. The fin-like projections may have a height of about 7-10 mm in the may be made from flexible and crushable rubbery material with a Shore A durometer reading of about 50-60. One effect is that the ball tends to fly a shorter distance and to stop rolling more quickly than the same ball without the fin-like projections.

Abstract: A ball with high aerodynamic drag and with the ability to rapidly come to a stop when rolling on a flat or a slight inclined surface is disclosed herein. The ball has an arrangement of fins sewn, glued or molded to its surface. These fins may be of various heights from 2.0 mm to 20.0 mm depending on the degree of the effects sought. The lattice of fins must be such that to continue to roll the ball must roll over a fin. The fundamental tradeoff in this invention is between the degree of normal behavior of the ball when struck or when bouncing and the reduced duration of flight and reduced distance to stop rolling. The preferred embodiment has fins sewn into the seams of an otherwise conventionally constructed sewn soccer ball. The effect gained is a ball that behaves like a normal soccer ball in most ways but flies a shorter distance and stops rolling more quickly.