According to Kelley and also stated by Alex Pang, Kelley designed the first mousepad a fiscal year later, in 1969.

After the rubberized silicon surface was incorporated onto the surface of the buck up roller ball mouse, the popular fabric-surface mousepad was found to be the most appropriate. It helped keep the rubberized roller-ball surface cleaner and with more valuable Mouse Pads tracking, speed and accuracy than just a desk surface, which collected dirt and slowed the mouse's motion.