<P> The original ball was retired in 1920 in favor of a second design ; the second ball remained 5 feet ( 1.5 m ) in diameter , but was now constructed from iron , weighing 400 pounds ( 180 kg ) . The ball drop was placed on hiatus for New Year 's Eve 1942 and 1943 due to wartime lighting restrictions during World War II . Instead , a moment of silence was observed at midnight in Times Square , accompanied by the sound of church bells and chimes played from sound trucks . </P>
why was there no ball drop in times square
placed on hiatus for New Year 's Eve 1942 and 1943 due to wartime lighting restrictions during World War II