 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Baseball bat" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(November 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Abaseball bat is a smooth wooden or metalclub used in the sport ofbaseball to hit theball after it is thrown by thepitcher. By regulation it may be no more than 2.61 inches (6.6 cm) in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches (1.067 m) in length.[1] Although historically bats approaching 3 pounds (1.4 kg) or 48 oz were used,[2][3] modern bats of 33 ounces (0.94 kg) are common, topping out at 34 to 36 ounces (0.96 to 1.02 kg).[2]
A baseball bat is divided into several regions. The "barrel" is the thick part of the bat, where it is meant to hit the ball. The part of the barrel best for hitting the ball, according to construction and swinging style, is often called the "sweet spot." The end of the barrel is called the "top", "end", or "cap" of the bat. Opposite the cap, the barrel narrows until it meets the "handle", which is comparatively thin, so that batters can comfortably grip the bat in their hands. Sometimes, especially on metal bats, the handle is wrapped with a rubber or tape "grip". Finally, below the handle is the "knob" of the bat, a wider piece that keeps the bat from slipping from a batter's hands.
The "bat drop" of a bat is its weight, in ounces, minus its length, in inches. For example, a 30-ounce, 33-inch-long bat has a bat drop of minus 3 (30 − 33 = −3). Larger bat drops help to increase swing speed, due to less mass per unit length; smaller drops create more power, due to greater momentum to transfer to the ball.[4]
The bat's form has become more refined over time. In the mid-19th century, baseball batters were known to shape orwhittle their own bats by hand, which resulted in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and weights. For example, there were flat bats, round bats, short bats, and fat bats. Earlier bats were known to be much heavier and larger than modern regulated ones. During the 19th century, many experimental shapes and handle designs were tried. Modern bats are much more uniform in design.[citation needed]
Baseball bats are made of either hardwood or a metal alloy (typically aluminum). Most wooden bats are made fromash; other woods includemaple,hickory, andbamboo. Hickory has fallen into disfavor over its greater weight, which slows down bat speed, while maple bats gained popularity following the introduction of the first MLB-sanctioned model in 1997.[9] The first player to use one wasJoe Carter of theToronto Blue Jays.[10]Barry Bonds used maple bats the seasons he broke baseball's single-season home run record in 2001, and the career home run record in 2007.[10] In 2010, the increased tendency of maple bats to shatter caused Major League Baseball to examine their use, banning some models in minor league play.[11][12]
Manufacturers position each bat's label over the mechanically weaker side of the wood.[13]To reduce chance of fracture,[13] and maybe deliver more energy to the ball,[14] a bat is intended to be held so the label faces sky or ground when it strikes the ball during a horizontal swing.[13] In this orientation, the bat is considered stiffer and less likely to break.[15]
Different types of wood will fracture differently.[16] For bats made ofash, labels will generally be where the grain spacing is widest. Formaple bats they will usually be positioned where grain is tightest.[citation needed]
Maple bats in particular were once known (circa 2008) to potentially shatter in a way that resulted in many sharp edges, sometimes creating more dangerous projectiles whenbreaking.[13][17] Maple bat manufacture evolved significantly, in cooperation withMajor League Baseball, paying special attention to grain slope, and including an ink spot test to confirm safest wood grain orientation.[15]
Based on consistent anecdotal reports of sales at sporting goods stores, and because of theEmerald ash borer epidemic, maple appears to be displacing ash as most popular new baseball bat material in the United States. Next and rising in popularity isbamboo, which has more isotropic fine grain, great strength, and less weight for a bat of any given size.[citation needed]
Within league standards there is ample latitude for individual variation, many batters settling on their own bat profile, or one used by a successful batter. Formerly, bats were hand-turned from a template with precise calibration points but more recently they are machine-turned to a fixed metal template. Historically significant templates may be kept in a bat manufacturers' vault; for example,Babe Ruth's template, which became popular among major-league players, is R43 in theLouisville Slugger archives.[18] Ruth favored a thinner handle than was the norm in the 1920s, and his success caused most to follow.[18] Ruth used an unusually large bat, which he reduced in size incrementally during his career. In 1920 he was using a 40-inch, 54-ounce bat, made of ash, with a slender handle.[19] In 1928 he wrote, "A few seasons ago I used a 54 ounce bat, long and with the weight well at the end. Now I'm using a 46 ounce club--and each season when I have a new set of bats made, I have an addition ounce taken off."[20]
Once the basic bat has been turned, it has the manufacturer's name, the serial number, and often the signature of the player endorsing it branded into it opposite the wood's best side.Honus Wagner was the first player to endorse and sign a bat. Next, most bats are given a rounded head, but some 30%[citation needed] of players prefer a "cup-balanced" head, in which a cup-shaped recess is made in the head, introduced to the major leagues in the early 1970s byJosé Cardenal;[18] this lightens the bat and moves its center of gravity toward the handle. Finally, the bat is stained in one of several standard colors, including natural, red, black, and two-tone blue and white.[citation needed]
Theemerald ash borer, an exotic beetle imported accidentally from Asia, has killed more than 50 millionwhite ash trees in the eastern United States and in 2017 threatened groves inNew York'sAdirondack Mountains that are used to make baseballbats.[21]
In the Americanmajor leagues, Rule 1.10(a) states:[22]
The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.
Bats are not allowed to be hollowed orcorked—that is, filled with an alien substance such ascork which reduces the weight. This corking is thought to increase bat speed without greatly reducing hitting power, though this idea was challenged as unlikely on theDiscovery Channel seriesMythBusters.[23]
Both wooden and metal alloy (generally aluminum) bats are generally permitted in amateur baseball. Metal alloy bats are generally regarded as being capable of hitting a ball faster and farther with the same power. However, increasing numbers of "wooden bat leagues" have emerged in recent years, reflecting a trend back to wood over safety concerns[clarification needed] and, in the case ofcollegiate summer baseball wood-bat leagues, to better prepare players for the professional leagues that require wood bats. Metal alloy bats can send a ball towards an unprotected pitcher's head up to 60 ft 6 in (18.44 m) away at a velocity far too high for the pitcher to get out of the way in time. Some amateur baseball organizations enforce bat manufacturing and testing standards which attempt to limit maximum ball speed for wood and non-wood bats.[24][25][26]
Inhigh school baseball in the United States:
In some 12-year-old-and-under youth leagues (such asLittle League baseball), the bat may not be more than2+1⁄4 inches (57 mm) in diameter.[28] However, in many other leagues (likePONY League Baseball, and Cal Ripken League Baseball), the bat may not be more than2+3⁄4 inches (70 mm) in diameter.[29]
There are limitations to how much and where a baseball player may applypine tar to a baseball bat. According to Rule 1.10(c) of the Major League Baseball Rulebook, it is not allowed more than 18 inches up from the bottom handle. An infamous example of the rule in execution is thePine Tar Incident on July 24, 1983. Rules 1.10 and 6.06 were later changed to reflect the intent of Major League Baseball, as exemplified by the league president's ruling. Rule 1.10 now only requires that the bat be removed from the game if discovered after being used in a game; it no longer necessitates any change to the results of any play which may have taken place.[citation needed]
Rule 6.06 refers only to bats that are "altered or tampered with in such a way to improve the distance factor or cause an unusual reaction on the baseball. This includes, bats that are filled, flat-surfaced, nailed, hollowed, grooved or covered with a substance such as paraffin, wax, etc." It no longer makes any mention of an "illegally batted ball". In 2001, MLB approved the use ofGorilla Gold Grip Enhancer in major and minor league games as an alternative to pine tar.[30][31]
Players can be very particular about their bats.Ted Williams cleaned his bats with alcohol every night and periodically took them to the post office to weigh them. "Bats pick up condensation and dirt lying around on the ground," he wrote, "They can gain an ounce or more in a surprisingly short time."Ichiro Suzuki also took great care that his bats did not accumulate moisture and thus gain weight: he stored his bats in humidors, one in the club house and another, a portable one, for the road.Rod Carew fought moisture by storing his bats in a box full of sawdust in the warmest part of his house. "The sawdust acts as a buffer between the bats and the environment," he explained, "absorbing any moisture before it can seep into the wood."[32]
Many players "bone" their bats, meaning that before games, they rub their bats repeatedly with a hard object, believing this closes the pores on the wood and hardens the bat. Animal bones are a popular boning material, but rolling pins, soda bottles and the edge of a porcelain sink have also been used.Pete Rose had his own way of hardening his bats: he soaked them in a tub of motor oil in his basement then hung them up to dry.[32]
Afungo bat is a specially designed bat used by baseball and softball coaches in practice. It is a light bat swung by a coach, used to hit balls to players who are practice fielding these hits. Theetymology of the wordfungo (/ˈfʌŋɡoʊ/) is uncertain, but theOxford English Dictionary suggests it is derived from theScotsfung: "to pitch, toss, or fling".[33]
Fungo bats are longer and lighter than regulation bats, with a smaller diameter. Typical fungo bats are 34 to 37 inches (86 to 94 cm) long and weigh 17 to 24 ounces (480 to 680 g). Longer bats are preferred for outfield practice and shorter bats for infield practice.[34] The reduced weight allows a coach to hit many balls without tiring. It also lets them swing the bat one-handed, as they often throw the "pitches" to themselves with their free hand.[35][36]
Baseball bats are sometimes used as weapons by civilians,[37] criminals, protesters,[38] and mobsters.[39] Baseball bats are effective weapons because they are inexpensive compared to other weapons, and, unlike many other weapons, they can be carried without raising suspicion or violating laws, due to their primary purpose as sports equipment.[40][41]
Baseball bats have also been used as weapons in various forms of entertainment. As aprofessional wrestler,Mick Foley sometimes brandished a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, which he named "Barbie". Other pro wrestlers have used baseball bats as weapons, and wrestling video games sometimes include bats as special weapons.[42][43]
Bats are common weapons in fiction as well.Negan, a character on the TV showThe Walking Dead carried a barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat named "Lucille", whichJeffrey Dean Morgan has compared to Mick Foley's "Barbie".[44]Harley Quinn, as a member of theSuicide Squad, carries a baseball bat.[45]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
