Description
Book Synopsis Why do modern-day sluggers like Aaron Judge prefer maple bats over the traditional ash bats swung by Ted Williams and others? Why did the surge of broken bats in the early 21st century create a crisis for Major League Baseball and what steps were taken to address the issue? Are different woods being considered by players and manufacturers? Do insects, disease and climate change pose a problem long-term?
These and other questions are answered in this exhaustive examination of the history and future of wooden bats, written for both lifelong baseball fans and curious newcomers.
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments v
- Introduction 1
- 1. Major League Origins 5
- 2. The Bats—They Keep Changing! 14
- 3. Bat Makers Up to World War II 32
- 4. Bat Makers from World War II to Boutique 44
- 5. Wood Properties and Features and Their Relationship to Bats 58
- 6. Bat Breakage 72
- 7. U.S. Forests 85
8. Killer Pests 100
- 9. Tree to Billet 109
- 10. Billet to Bat 124
- 11. The Future of the Bat in Major League Baseball 141
- Appendix: Pine Tar and Rosin 153
- Chapter Notes 163
- Bibliography 181
- Index 191
