Form: 4

Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities

March 18, 2003

4
1

NYSE

0001205943

Officer

Ball Corporation

0000009389
IRS-NUMBER  35-0160610

03/17/03

4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 4

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

[    ]  Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue.

1.

Name and Address of Reporting Person(s)
Hayes, John A.
10 Longs Peak Dr.
Broomfield, CO 80021-2510

2.

Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Ball Corporation (BLL)

3.

I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (Voluntary)


4.

Statement for Month/Day/Year
3/17/2003


5.

If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)


6.

Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
[ ] Director   [ ]  10% Owner
[X] Officer (give title below)   [ ]  Other (specify below)
V.P., CORP. STRAT., MKTG. & PROD. DEV.


7.

Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
[X] Form filed by One Reporting Person
[ ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person 



Table I   Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)Title of Security                           2)Trans-    3.Trans- 4.Securities Acquired(A)      5)Amount of    6)  7)Nature of
                                              action      action   or Disposed of (D)            Securities         Indirect
                                              Date        Code                   A               Beneficially   D   Beneficial
                                              (Month/                            or              Owned at       or  Ownership
                                              Day/Year)   Code V   Amount        D  Price        End of Month   I
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock                                  03/17/03    J (1)    1             A  $53.6700     58,789         D  Direct
Common Stock                                                                                     296            I  401(k) plan


Table II (PART 1)  Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned  (Columns 1 through 6)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)Title of Derivative          2)Conversion    3)Trans-       4)Trans-  5)Number of Derivative            6)Date Exercisable and
Security                       or Exercise     action         action    Securities Acquired (A)           Expiration Date
                               Price of        Date           Code      or Disposed of (D)
                               Derivative
                               Security                       Code  V   A                D                Exercisable  Expiration
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Table II (PART 2)  Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned  (Columns 1,3 and 7 through 11)
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1)Title of Derivative          3)Trans-  7)Title and Amount                           8)Price     9)Number of   10) 11)Nature of
Security                       action    of Underlying                                of Deri-    Derivative        Indirect
                               Date      Securities                                   vative      Securities    D   Beneficial
                                                                        Amount or     Security    Beneficially  or  Ownership
                                                                        Number of                 Owned at      I
                  -                      Title                          Shares                    End of Month
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Explanation of Responses:

(1) Dividend reinvestment in Ball Corporation Deferred Compensation Company Stock Plan.
 - 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.

SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON/S/
By: Mary L. Rose, Dir., Exec. Comp. Prog.

For:  John A. Hayes

DATE   03/17/03