ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Bounce it, kick it, catch it. Chase, throw or smack it. The ball, arguably the most popular plaything of all time, has finally earned a place inside a glass case at the National Toy Hall of Fame in New York.

Along with the Big Wheel and the Game Boy video device, the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester chose the ball on Thursday to join its all-star lineup of 41 classics, ranging from the bicycle and the kite to the jump rope, the teddy bear and Mr. Potato Head.

The muscular Big Wheel tricycle was launched at the 1969 Toy Fair in New York and Game Boy was an instant hit for Japan's Nintendo Co. in 1989.

Longevity is one key criterion for getting into the hall. Each toy must also foster learning, creativity or discovery through play.