The first true piece of sports equipment that man invented was the ball.

In ancient Egypt, as everywhere, pitching¹ stones was a favorite children's game. But a badly thrown rock could hurt a child. Looking for something less dangerous to throw, the Egyptians made what were probably the first balls.

At first balls were made of grass or leaves held together by vines². Later they were made of pieces of animal skin sewed together and stuffed³ with feathers or hay⁴.

Even though the Egyptians were warlike, they found time for peaceful games. Before long they had developed a number of ballgames, each with its own set of rules. Perhaps they played ball more for instruction than for fun. Ball playing was thought of mainly as a way to teach young men the speed and skill they would need for war.

人类发明的第一样名副其实的运动器材是球。

在古埃及，像在其他地方一样，掷石头是孩子们爱玩的一项游戏。但是，一块乱扔的石头也能把一个小孩击伤。为了寻找一种危险性较小的可投之物，埃及人造出了也许是最早的一批球。

起初，球是用藤条把草或树叶捆在一起做成的。后来，人们将动物的皮缝合起来，里面塞进羽毛或干草做成球。

尽管埃及人是尚武的，他们依然抽时间开展和平的游戏。不久，他们便发明了许多球类游戏，每一项都有自己的一套规则。也许，他们打球不只是为了娱乐，更重要的是为了受教育和熏陶。打球主要被看作是练习年轻人把握战争所需要的速度和技巧的一种手段。