Baseball has played a huge part in America’s culture. In fact, it had gone a long way before it turned out to be the sport that it is today.
If you look up the history of baseball, you’ll know when it really started, what are the numerous changes it underwent over the years, and so much more.
This post will focus specifically on some interesting facts that you didn’t know about baseball bats.
There Are Many Types of Baseball Bats Before
There’s no definitive answer on who was the first person to invent the very first baseball bat. Do you know that back in the 1860s, there were many types of baseball bats?
Early baseball players are known to whittle bats to tailor it to their hitting style. The results were quite interesting. You’d see plenty of flat, round, short, and fat bats.
Moreover, earlier bats are much larger and heavier than the standard size today. Without any formal rules in place, it’s not uncommon to have bats that span about 42 inches long, compared with today’s 32-34.
It also has a weight that’s around 50 ounces, as compared to today’s 30 ounces. Check out the best USA baseball bats here.
Maple Bats Were Quite Popular
Although baseball bats that are made from ash are popular, ash bats became a preferred choice.
In fact, in the 1870s, ash bats were a popular choice until major league batters such as Barry Bonds used the maple bat and broke records. Other players soon tried to follow his lead.
Around 1870, regulations were enforced, limiting the bat’s length to 42 inches, with a maximum diameter of 2.5 inches. These are still more or less the standard of what it is today.
According to the MLB (Major League Baseball) rulebook, bats should be a smooth round stick that spans not more than 2.61 inches (in diameter.)
Moreover, the thickest portion shouldn’t be more than 42 inches. The bat should also be made from a one-piece solid wood.
One Side of the Bat Used to be Flat
Between 1885 to 1983, to know that the MLB allowed one side of the baseball bat to be flat?
If you think of it now, giving the batter essentially a cricket bat feels like an unfair advantage. Although this went on for eight years, it didn’t last long.
A Baseball Bat’s “Sweet Spot” is An Infamous Number in Baseball
It is said that a player can improve their chances of hitting a homeroom if they hit the “sweet spot.”
But what is it, exactly? Well, you can find the sweet spot in an area between 5-7 inches from the bat’s barrel end. If your bat produces that satisfying crack sound with little vibration, then it’s often said that the baseball player has hit the sweet spot.
But what if you miss the sweet spot? Well, this can cause bat damage. The moment a player hits the ball with their bat, this creates an enormous force of the bat in a split second. We’re talking to up to 5,000 lbs of force.
When players miss this, this causes vibrations in the bat that can bend or break.
This can cause damage to the baseball bat. Make sure that you invest in a high-quality bat with an excellent bat grip to increase the odds of hitting the sweet spot and decrease the chances of any breakages.
Over to You
Baseball is known as the oldest and probably one of the most popular, and a well-loved sport in America. We hope that you’ve found these unique baseball ball facts useful!
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