Anything that can read/sense information has the ball. It may not have the ball for long but as it picks up information, it has the ball. Dynamically storing information (dynamic in the sense that the information that was once sensed/read is read again at a later data or semi-continuously e.g. memory) allows for persisting of the ball being held.
For example, in the brief moment a single-celled organism with the ability to detect light perceives a photon of light, it holds the ball, as soon as that information/stimuli is gone, it loses the ball; if it has a way of recalling the information, it continues to hold the ball as long as the information is recalled (e.g. The brain converts direct stimuli/information to electrical signals, this way it can continue to recall information to near the exact same way as it was first received; near same information, near same ball)
Another quick thought.
