ABSTRACT
Oddz On Products Inc's Koosh Ball was an especially hot toy during the 1988 Christmas season. Described by some as a cross between a bowl of Jell-O and a porcupine, the Koosh Ball was made up of thousands of rubber filaments radiating from a central core. Koosh Balls were invented by Scott Stillinger, a former computer engineer, and his brother-in-law, Mark Button, who had previously marketed Barbie dolls for Mattel. Their Oddz On factory in Campbell, California, shipped 'millions' to outlets across the nation, including such upscale establishments as Macy's, Neiman-Marcus and the gift shop at the Smithsonian Institution. The ball remained a fixture in stores up through the early months of 1992. It appeared more and more likely that Koosh Balls would not become the 'Pet Rock of the '80s', but rather a timeless classic along the lines of the Frisbee.
