Back in 1846 a game that was recorded in history, players played the game with bats they personally made. Each player was responsible for their own bat and at the time it didn’t matter about the size, weight or even length of the bat.
At the time, players experimented with their bats to help improve their hitting ability by making different kinds of wood to see which would give the better results. Players also figured using a rounded bat will produce better hitting results too.
In 1857 at the first baseball convention, it was decided the bats would be round and not more than two and one-half inches around the thickest part of the bat. A few years later in 1860, it was decided the baseball bats to be between thirty and forty inches and to weigh about 48 ounces. Also, it was recommended the bats not weight less than 46 ounces.
In 1885, it was legal to have 18 inches of the handle wrapped in twine and one side flat. The bat was limited to 42 inches long, limited to two and one-half inches at the thickest part of the bat, bat can only be round and had to be made of wood were the rules adopted by the National League in 1887.
In 1893, it was decided that bats could no longer be flat on the one side; the bats had to be rounded. Later in 1895, the thickness of the bat increased to two and three-quarters, which is the same as it is today.
Today, baseball players play with either aluminum or wooden bats. There are many different weights and sizes available, as well as many different manufacturers who make the bats. It can be challenging when choosing a bat; it is why it is always best to find out what the specific bat rules are before purchasing a bat.
- Adult Bats
- Adult Wood Bats
- Bat Accessories
- BBCOR Baseball Bats
- Fungo Bats
- Marucci Professional Bats
- Senior League – Big Barrel Bats
- T-Ball Bats
- Training Bats
- Youth Bats
