One of the strangest toys of the 80's was the Koosh Ball. This was a small sphere covered in noodely rubber appendages that made the ball oddly satisfying. It was colorful, soft, fun to touch, and easy to catch. In fact the ball was invented by Scott Stillinger whos kids were struggling playing catch. The original used a series of elastic bands before evolving into a latex rubber.

Stillinger showed his idea to a relative who worked at Mattel. They liked the idea so much that they quit their jobs and started manufacturing the product out of a barn near his house. In 1987 they filed a patent for the ball and I love the patent title:  Generally spherical object with floppy filaments to promote sure capture.

Like a lot of hit items, no one gave their idea much credit but it was still a hit with consumers. The media lambasted the toy with a few notable references as the "Pet Rock of the '80s" and a "psychedelic sea urchin". Despite the doubt it was a hit with it flying off the shelves that Christmas.

The creators did not spend a lot on advertising so why did it succeed? One of the biggest things may have been that the product was placed at the checkout registers in many toy stores. Customers who picked them up could not seem to put them down. Word spread and soon everyone wanted one. Even the creators stated that they were surprised by its success.

Like a lot of items on our list, Hasbro eventually acquired the rights to the toy and still manufacture a variety of the items to this day.