The history of the New Year's Eve ball drop
For millions of people, the year 2026 will begin once a crystal-covered ball, 12.5 feet in diameter, makes its descent in New York City's Times Square.
New York Times owner Adolph Ochs organized the first New York City ball drop, which occurred on December 31, 1907.
The original ball was made by Jacob Starr, a Ukrainian immigrant metalworker.
The event has taken place every year since, except in 1942 and 1943, when revelers welcomed the New Year with a minute of silence.
During the COVID pandemic in 2020, the New Year's ball still dropped, but in a nearly-empty Times Square.
The brand new ball – the ninth ball to be used since 1907 – is the biggest ever, weighing in at 12,350 pounds.
Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown, the company that is redeveloping One Times Square into a year-round destination, gave "Sunday Morning" a close-up look at the ball, covered in over 5,000 handcrafted circular Waterford Crystal discs. "They're in three different sizes, three different puck sizes, and round versus triangular, which was the old geometric dome pattern," Phillips said.
It's a self-contained light show with many special effects.
I asked, "Why do you think the ball drop means so much to so many people?"
"It's something that symbolizes releasing what was, and looking forward at what's to come," Phillips replied.
And there is more to come: After it completes its New Year's Eve descent welcoming 2026, the ball will drop AGAIN, on the eve of July 4, to mark the 250th anniversary of the nation's birth.
For more info:
- Times Square New Year's Eve (Official site)
- One Times Square
- Waterford: Times Square New Year's Eve Celebration
Story produced by Jay Kernis. Editor: George Pozderec.
See also:
From the archives: Ringing in the New Year (YouTube Video)