Invented by Matt Burton and Scott Stillinger in 1998, a Koosh Ball is a small toy composed of many rubber strands attached to a plastic-metallic core. Stillinger came up with the idea to develop the Koosh ball as he became frustrated when trying to teach his children how to play catch. He devised a toy ball that would be easy to catch, and soft enough so as not to hurt anyone. By 1988, shortly after it was launched, the Koosh ball had become immensely popular as a fun, safe and cheap toy for all ages. Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell shooting Koosh balls out to her audience members has become a staple of her show.
