SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT




                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) July 23, 1998


                                BALL CORPORATION
           -----------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                     Indiana
           -----------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


            1-7349                                      35-0160610
- --------------------------------         ---------------------------------------
    (Commission File Number)                (IRS Employer Identification No.)



           10 Longs Peak Drive, Broomfield, Colorado    80021-2510
       ------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Address of principal executive office)     (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (303) 469-3131






                                Ball Corporation
                           Current Report on Form 8-K
                               Dated July 29, 1998



Item 5.  Other Events.

On July 23, 1998, Ball Corporation,  an Indiana corporation (the "Company"), and
Reynolds Metals Company, a Delaware corporation ("Reynolds"), announced that the
Hart-Scott-Rodino  waiting period  regarding  Ball's purchase of Reynolds' North
American aluminum beverage can and end assets expired on Tuesday, July 21, 1998.

The following is filed as an Exhibit to this Report.

Exhibit Number 99

Description

Text of Press release disseminated by the Registrant on July 23, 1998.






                                Ball Corporation
                           Current Report on Form 8-K
                               Dated July 29, 1998


                                    SIGNATURE



Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                              BALL CORPORATION
                                              (Registrant)



Date:  July 29, 1998                          By:  /s/ A. R. Schlesinger
                                                   ---------------------
                                                   A. R. Schlesinger
                                                   Vice President and Controller







                                Ball Corporation
                           Current Report on Form 8-K
                               Dated July 29, 1998

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit          Description

EX-99            Text of a press release disseminated by the registrant on 
                 July 23, 1998.