# Magic 8 Ball **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2002, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725 "2002-06-06T19:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/1 "2002-06-06T19:54:33Z")
Why did Mattel pick the 8 ball for its prognosticating toy? ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/2 "2002-06-06T20:14:03Z")
Because “Magic 8 Ball” sounds better than “Magic Cue Ball”? It’s not really magic, y’know. ---
**Author:** ![Kamandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@Kamandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamandi)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/3 "2002-06-06T20:17:38Z")
Your name is too similar to mine. We both registered in March. You’re probably better-looking than me. You must die. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/4 "2002-06-06T20:27:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kamandi \* > \*\*Your name is too similar to mine. > > We both registered in March. > > You’re probably better-looking than me. > > You must die. \*\* LOL. Well, perhaps I was once, I dunno. But too many years behind a desk has caused my middle age spread to spread even further… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/5 "2002-06-06T22:06:01Z")
Ask again later ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/6 "2002-06-06T22:12:07Z")
Answer not clear. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/7 "2002-06-06T22:15:55Z")
black = magic ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2002, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/8 "2002-06-06T23:21:59Z")
Sorry to hijack here, but the first ‘Penny Arcade’ online comic I ever saw was with Gabe and Tycho using a magic 8 ball to try and answer some question about video games. It gave them the answer “I’m sleeping with your wife” LMAO I gotta get one of those magic 8 balls ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/9 "2002-06-07T09:40:19Z")
Mattel didn’t choose anything. Abe Bookman of Alabe Crafts did. From the FAQ on this site: [http://8ball.ofb.net/](http://8ball.ofb.net/) (gives some other useful links, but some are dead) > [@](#): > > Why the number 8? > I have no idea. I can only assume it has something to do with the special color it has and the special role it plays in pool games. Here’s some history: [http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/toys/ty1039.php](http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/toys/ty1039.php) [rant]The [official Mattel site](http://www.mattelgames.com/magic8/) needs JavaScript to tell me that I haven’t got Flash. Brilliant. Love it. I haven’t got a clue if there’s anything to see there…[/rant] ---
**Author:** ![Jimbrowski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9a140/32.png) [@Jimbrowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimbrowski)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/10 "2002-06-07T13:51:54Z")
[http://8ball.ofb.net/procedure.html](http://8ball.ofb.net/procedure.html) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/11 "2002-06-07T19:24:12Z")
Miss Cleo told Abe Bookman to? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/magic-8-ball/112725/12 "2002-06-08T00:15:01Z")
BTW, I’ve got a talking 8 ball… when you tilt it (now you’ve got to shake it hard) it has some chimes, has a message then has a gong. It says things like “wait”, “you must be joking”, “maybe or maybe not”… it has 10 or 20 different answers. I’m not sure what brand it was but I got it at least 5 years ago.