Ball Corporation
                           Current Report on Form 8-K
                             Dated January 17, 1997



                                                                   Exhibit EX-99

Following  is the text of a press  release  disseminated  by the  registrant  on
January 3, 1997:



  BALL COMPLETES PURCHASE OF CONTROLLING INTEREST OF M.C. PACKAGING LTD.


          MUNCIE,  Ind., Jan. 3, 1997--Ball  Corporation  [NYSE: BLL] said today
  that its Hong  Kong  subsidiary,  FTB Packaging  Limited,  had  completed  the
  previously  announced purchase  of  Lam Soon (Hong Kong) Limited's controlling
  interest in M.C. Packaging (Hong Kong) Limited.
         FTB paid HK$2.80 per share,  or  approximately  US$73 million,  for Lam
  Soon's direct and indirect  economic  interest of approximately 30 percent and
  controls  directly  and  indirectly  approximately  51.2 percent of the voting
  rights  of  M.C.  Packaging,  a  Hong  Kong-based  manufacturer  of  packaging
  products.
         Ball,  through FTB, soon will make an offer for the outstanding  public
  shares of M.C. Packaging,  also at HK$2.80 per share. If all public shares are
  tendered, FTB, for a total consideration of approximately US$190 million, will
  own,  directly  and  indirectly,  approximately  74  percent  of the  economic
  interest of M.C.  Packaging  and will  control all of the voting  rights.  The
  offer is expected to be completed in February.
         M.C. Packaging has 14 manufacturing operations, one in Hong Kong and 13
  through  affiliates  in the People's  Republic of China.  It produces  various
  forms of packaging,  including aluminum beverage cans, steel food and beverage
  cans, and plastic bottles.  M.C. Packaging has approximately 19 percent of the
  market  for  two-piece  beverage  cans in China,  and 50  percent  of both the
  beverage  can and food can  markets  in Hong Kong.  Sales in 1995 were  US$195
  million.
         Through its FTB  subsidiary,  Ball  currently  operates seven plants in
  China,  primarily  producing  beverage cans and ends, with a 30-percent market
  share.
         Ball Corporation  produces rigid metal and plastic  packaging  products
  for foods and beverages and provides  aerospace and other technology  products
  and services to government and commercial customers.
                                                   * * *

  Note: This news release may contain  forward-looking  statements as encouraged
  by the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995.  Forward-looking
  statements are  necessarily  projections  which are subject to change upon the
  occurrence of certain events which may affect the business,  many of which are
  set forth in the company's 8-K report filed with the  Securities  and Exchange
  Commission on July 16, 1996.

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  Media Contact:  Scott McCarty, 317/747-6175, smccarty@ball.com
  Investor Contact:  Doug Poling, 317/747-6465, dpoling@ball.com

  Ball Home Page:  http://www.ball.com