Baseball Bat Facts
If you are interested in baseball, you probably know many fun and interesting facts about famous players, teams, world records, rules and mechanics of the game. You might even know a thing or two about the ball itself. There are also many little-known facts that you can learn about the baseball bat, however.
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First Baseball Bats
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It is not known who actually invented the baseball bat, rumors persist that it was invented by a 17 year old. In the 1800s, players were allowed to bring their own bats to a game. The bats had no regulations and came in several different shapes, sizes and were made with different types of wood. Players saw it as an unofficial competition to determine whose bat worked the best in the game. Many players used flat bats instead of round.
Rule Development
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Rules regarding baseball bats were finally formed in the late 1800s. During this time regulations stated that bats had to be less than 2.5 inches in diameter and shorter than 42 inches long. By the end of the 19th century, baseball bats were required to have a round end.
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Material
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Baseball bats were made of wood until the early 20th century when steel bats were developed. Aluminum bats became popular in the 1970s. In the 1990s, titanium bats were used. They were ultimately determined to be overpowering and dangerous and thus became illegal.
Television Debut
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According to Electro Mech, an entire episode of the television show Mythbusters was dedicated to figuring out whether a corked bat decreased power and distance.The Mythbusters team determined this was a fact.
World Record
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The world's largest baseball bat weighs 68,000 pounds and is 120 feet long, according to the Victoria and District Baseball association. This baseball bat can be viewed by the public at the Louisville Slugger Museum in Kentucky.
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References
- Photo Credit baseball image by Christopher Walker from Fotolia.com
