-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 R7KAp6BIfobO3rgT9VJ5NbYzlL1BpszSwWFqSt7F8jrtZYtfPILmO3zf2qOayfbq
 ejBDNpsU9+8nO1kHHphWSA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000009389-05-000092.txt : 20050316
<SEC-HEADER>0000009389-05-000092.hdr.sgml : 20050316
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20050316132236
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000009389-05-000092
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20050315
FILED AS OF DATE:		20050316
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20050316

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BALL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000009389
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	METAL CANS [3411]
		IRS NUMBER:				350160610
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 LONGS PEAK DRIVE
		CITY:			BROOMFIELD
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80021-2510
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3034695511

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PO BOX 5000
		CITY:			BROOMFIELD
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80038-5000

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BALL BROTHERS CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19731115

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HAYES JOHN A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001205943

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07349
		FILM NUMBER:		05684431

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O BALL CORP
		STREET 2:		10 LONGS PEAK DR
		CITY:			BROOMFIELD
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80021-2510
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-03-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000009389</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BALL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BLL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205943</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HAYES JOHN A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BALL CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10 LONGS PEAK DR.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BROOMFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80021-2510</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP, CORP STRATEGY &amp; DEV</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>62</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>45.1</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>140026</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1004</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>401(k) plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Dividend reinvestment in Ball Corporation Deferred Compensation Company Stock Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Total number of Common Shares directly owned includes shares acquired through participation in the Ball Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan.  Total number of 401(k) Plan shares includes shares acquired through periodic dividend reinvestment and employer matching contributions.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Charles E. Baker,GenCounsel&amp;AsstCorpSec  For: John A. Hayes</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-03-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>poahayes.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EDGAR SUPPORTING DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned
hereby constitutes and appoints. David A. Westerlund and
Charles E. Baker and Robert W. McClelland, and each of them
acting or signing alone, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-
fact to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in
the undersigned's capacity as an officer of Ball Corporation (the
"Company"), any and all reports required to be filed by the
undersigned in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf
of the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to
complete and execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5 or other required
report and timely file such report with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange
or similar authority; and

(3)	take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such
attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or
legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood that
the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of
the undersigned, pursuant to this Power of Attorney, shall be in
such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such
attorney-in-fact may approve in his discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full
power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, and proper to be done in
the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as
fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or his or her substitute or substitutes, shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of
Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The
undersigned acknowledges that no such attorney-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, is
hereby assuming, nor is the Company hereby assuming, any of
the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until
the undersigned is no longer required to file reports under
Section 16 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and
transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 14th day of January
2005.

Signature:        /s/ John A. Hayes

Printed Name:          John A. Hayes
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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