Removing a single object when multiple objects share the same name?

Question

The below code uses a for loop to make spheres as in this thread:
http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?forumID=21&threadID=320945
However, the name is always sphere. I have another part of the code that,
using collision detection, removes a sphere using the tg.removeChild(); command when another sphere (created elsewhere) is
within a set proximity. But how do I specify which sphere it should remove when they are all called 'sphere'? Can I use a
object ID to get around this and if so, how?
    public void makeSpheres()
       Color3f lightColour = new Color3f(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f);    //Blue light
       Vector3f lightDirection = new Vector3f(4.0f, -7.0f, -12.0f);
       for (int i=0; i==5; i++)
           Sphere sphere = new Sphere(0.25f);
           BoundingSphere bounds = new BoundingSphere(new Point3d( getXCoords(), getYCoords(), getZCoords()), 100.0);
           DirectionalLight light = new DirectionalLight(lightColour, lightDirection);     //Each sphere has a blue light
           light.setInfluencingBounds(bounds);
           TransformGroup tg=new TransformGroup();  //Create new TG
           Transform3D transform=new Transform3D();
           Vector3f vector = new Vector3f(setXCoords(),setYCoords(),setZCoords());  //Set Position
           transform.setTranslation(vector);
           tg.setTransform(transform);            //Add sphere to scenegraph
           tg.addChild(sphere);
           Play2.objRoot.addChild(tg);
       }

Answer 1

Basically, you get a reference to the object you click on through one of the Pick tools from the Pickfast api. Then you iterate over the scenegraph until you find the object your picktool returned. Then you remove it. Check out the examples at
https://java3d.dev.java.net/binary-builds.html
If there are a known finite number of spheres you can keep references to them in a list or a Switch.
regards