Who played a ball game with a rubber ball?

The ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, particularly the Maya and Aztec, played a ball game known as "tlachtli" or "ōllamaliztli," which involved a rubber ball. This game held significant cultural and religious importance, often symbolizing the struggle between life and death. Players would use their hips to hit the ball through stone rings or keep it in play within a court. The game is thought to have influenced various aspects of Mesoamerican society, including ritual practices and social hierarchy.