Who invented the globe inflatable beach ball?

[toadspittle]

Today’s impossible task: who invented the first beach ball that has a globe (i.e., map of the earth) printed on it? Or, slightly less impossible: When did these things first come to market? 1990? 1980? 1960?

[Hail_Ants]

Ummmm, Michael Palin maybe?

[samclem]

A 1953 US newspaper story:

Plastic World Globe Is Good Beach Ball, Too
CHICAGO—A new 16 inch world globe for teaching children geography is made of plastic so durable the sphere also can be used as a beach ball. The plastic is tough and resilient enough for the world globe to be bounced like a basketball and flexible enough for the deflated globe to fit in a drawer or pocket.
A convenient base for the inflated globe is made by simply pushing out a circular section in the front or the box in which the deflated globe is packed.

Just to get you started.

[toadspittle]

[QUOTE=samclem]
A 1953 US newspaper story:

Just to get you started.
[/QUOTE]

Fan-tastic! Thanks, Sam. Just what I was looking for. I had hoped they appeared before 1960. (I’m working on a short story.)

[twickster]

There’s also this famous scene from The Great Dictator (1940).