What was the name of the first ball used for New Year's Eve's Times Square drop in 1907?
Answer
The Times Square Ball
Answer
The Times Square Ball
The first object used for New Year's Eve's Times Square drop in 1907 was the Times Square Ball.
The inaugural ball was lowered on December 31, 1907, to welcome 1908. It was built from iron and wood, measured about five feet in diameter, and was illuminated by one hundred light bulbs. The event replaced an earlier fireworks display used to mark New Year celebrations at the site.
The descent was organized by the New York Times and its publisher, Adolph Ochs, whose newspaper had moved into the building then known as the Times Tower. The timing device created a highly visible public countdown before radio and television made such spectacles easy to share nationally.
Later versions became larger, brighter, and more elaborate, eventually incorporating crystal panels and computer-controlled lighting. Although the materials changed dramatically, the original name and basic idea remained the same.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026