| If you are a fan of the game of baseball, you | | | | name of John Hillerich. John and his father were |
| may not have given much thought to how the | | | | woodworkers. |
| game has been changed by the historical evolution | | | | John attended a baseball game in Louisville, and |
| of the baseball bat. | | | | saw a player by the name of Pete Browning get |
| Americans became infatuated with baseball in the | | | | very angry after he broke his favorite bat during |
| early 1800s, and by 1860 the sport was definitely | | | | the game. |
| the 'national pastime', with players using early | | | | After the game, he asked Browning if he could |
| versions of baseball bats to slug the ball around a | | | | make him a new baseball bat and Browning went |
| regulation field. | | | | with him to his shop, where they chose a piece |
| You probably know that Abner Doubleday | | | | of white ash wood for his new baseball bat. |
| invented the game of baseball, but you may not | | | | The next day, Browning had a great game, and all |
| know that New Yorker, Alexander Cartwright | | | | the other players wanted to know about the bat |
| designed the configuration and dimensions of the | | | | he was using. Soon, other players were flocking |
| baseball field during the 1840s. His New York | | | | to the Hillerich woodworking shop to get their |
| Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, developed the first | | | | own baseball bats, and the Louisville slugger was |
| set of league rules. | | | | born! |
| The first historical record of a league baseball | | | | During the 1890s, the regulations were changed |
| game was the 1846 Knickerbocker duel with the | | | | again to specify that baseball bats must be round, |
| New York Baseball Club (the Knickerbockers | | | | and that a bat could not be flat on the end. |
| LOST at Elysian Fields, in Hoboken, New Jersey. | | | | Diameter limitations increased to 2.75". |
| The National Association of Base Ball Players was | | | | Metal baseball bats were invented in the 1920s, |
| founded in 1848, and became the first organized | | | | but it would be 50 years before they would be |
| baseball league in the United States. | | | | used in baseball. Today, aluminum bats are used in |
| By the time this league was formed, the baseball | | | | Little League baseball, although Major League |
| bat had already gone through quite an evolution! | | | | Baseball does not use metal bats because of |
| Unlike the baseball bats of today, baseball bats of | | | | safety concerns and because the use of metal |
| yore were not regulated for weight, length or | | | | bats would significantly change the competition. |
| anything else for that matter. Bats came in all | | | | Bats made out of aluminum, graphite and titanium |
| shapes and sizes. | | | | drive the ball farther and higher than wooden |
| In the 1800s when baseball was in its infancy, | | | | bats, so the use of metal bats in Major League |
| baseball bats were often made by the players, | | | | Baseball would change the game forever! |
| and the bat might be long or short, fat or skinny, | | | | In 1991, the ash bat was changed yet again by |
| heavy or light. As the game evolved, players | | | | the design of the Baum baseball bat which has a |
| soon figured out that rounded baseball bats were | | | | resin core impregnated with fiber and yarn to |
| the best. | | | | make the bat lighter. The ash exterior was |
| In 1859, baseball bats were limited to 2.5" or less | | | | preserved, but these bats were bouncier and it |
| in diameter, though your bat could be as LONG as | | | | was estimated that using this new lighter core bat |
| you preferred, and it could be round or flat! About | | | | would improve hitting speed by 5%. |
| 10 years later, the length of all baseball bats was | | | | From the original hickory bats of the 1800s to the |
| limited to 42". And that length limitation still applies | | | | ash bats of 1900 and beyond, we saw the |
| today. | | | | advent of the maple bat in the early 2000s. |
| The Louisville slugger baseball bat was invented in | | | | 150 years of baseball, have wrought a lot of |
| 1884. If you are a big fan of baseball, you | | | | changes in the baseball bat and in other tools of |
| probably already know that! But what you may | | | | the game and we will probably see more as the |
| not know is that the Louisville slugger baseball bat | | | | game evolves. |
| was the brainchild of a seventeen year old by the | | | | |