Perhaps the most important and observable tool in baseball is the bat. A baseball bat is made in different lengths, weights, materials and barrel features. The baseball bat is filled with rich history and science.
History
Baseball dates back to the mid-1800s. Back then, players usually made their own bats. Experimenting with the shape and size of their baseball bats led to players recognizing that the best bats were those with rounded barrels. Standards were established in 1859 requiring bats be no larger than two and a half inches in diameter, but at that time they could be any length. Restrictions of 42 inches long were added by 1869, but still no regulations governing the shape. According to Baseball-Bats, "In the 1890s, bats could no longer be flat at the end, according to the baseball rules committee. The diameter of the bat was increased by a quarter of an inch, making the maximum diameter two and three quarters of an inch."
Types
Baseball bats are traditionally made from wood, but aluminum bats made their debut in the 1970s in children's leagues and in high school. Metal bats are used by many amateur leagues today and are made from carbon fiber, graphite, or titanium. Scientists have developed stronger alloys, making bats both stronger and lighter. Today manufacturers are combining alloys to produce graphite- and titanium-lined aluminum bats.
Science
The American Physical Society states that "Wood bats do not deform much when striking the ball, but the ball itself does, compacting up and then rebounding off the bat." Aluminum bats are designed to have a larger sweet spot on the barrel, meaning that a larger portion of the bat is able to impart the greatest amount of energy from the swing into the flight of the ball. When the ball hits a hollow bat, it does not deform very much, but the bat does. The increased elasticity of an aluminum bat means that the baseball rebounds differently than it does after it leaves the surface of a wooden bat.
Future
Although aluminum bats are popular with amateur and college baseball players, major leaguers must use wooden bats. Major League Baseball is steeped in tradition, and the use of aluminum bats would alter the game's records and affect the way fans view player's statistics.
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