Since it was established in 1869, Major League Baseball players have used only wooden bats. Aluminum bats were manufactured and introduced to the sport of baseball in the early 1970s. Aluminum bats are lighter than ones crafted from wood and their low density allows players to generate faster bat speed. Quicker bat speed ultimately produces more power and force when a bat strikes a ball.
History
Aluminum bats were first used in the NCAA in 1974, according to Aluminumbats.com. From Little League to college baseball, aluminum bats have been a staple of America's pastime for decades.
Properties
According to an article titled "Aluminum Bat Manufacturing" on the website Example Essays, the vital components in aluminum bats are aluminum alloys. Positive and negative alloys exist within the metal properties of a bat and promote conductivity, malleability and strength. The mixture of these varying atoms alters the bonding of metal and creates the potency of an aluminum bat.
Effectiveness
Aluminum bats initially possessed less effective alloys 6061, 6063 and 7005 alloys. During the years, the amounts of zinc, magnesium, scandium, nickel and other elements in aluminum bats were slightly increased. A professor at Kettering University in Michigan, Daniel A. Russell, published a work that cites reasons an aluminum bat is more powerful than a wooden one. Russell concluded the materials inside wood lessen the impact of that bat on a ball. Conversely, the components in an aluminum bat compress and store energy that is ultimately transferred to the ball.
Affordability
Aluminum bats are more durable than their wooden counterparts. Wooden bats frequently chip, crack or break at impact with a ball. Wooden bats are frequently discarded. In contrast, aluminum bats can last for years. The near-indestructible nature of an aluminum bat makes them a more affordable option than a wooden one.
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