The history of the creation of baseball bats, despite the wide distribution of this game in the United States, has its roots in completely different states. Today, making baseball bats is an art and hard work, standards for quality, shape, weight, size and material.
Baseball bat: the beginning
Despite the fact that in almost every second American film you can see fragments from a baseball game, where the main stars on the field are players with bats, bats were invented, oddly enough, in Russia. They were indispensable tools for playing the popular at that time (14th century) game - rounders. To play successfully, solid wood sticks were used. They were not very similar in shape to modern bits, but they were also extended upwards.
Interestingly, around the same time, a game called Schlagball was spread in Germany, the players of which also wielded the progenitor of the modern bat. German rounders are most similar to English ones.
Speaking of bats, it is impossible to ignore the game of baseball itself, which originates in the British Isles. A variety of ball games have always been popular among English sportsmen. The balls were made in different sizes and in weight, however, small balls for playing old rounders and cricket were most in demand.
As you know, modern America is inhabited by both the descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of the mainland and immigrants. Many of them came from the British Isles and, apparently, along with their belongings, culture and traditions, took their sports preferences with them to Novaya Zemlya.
Thus, it is safe to say that although baseball is native to the British Isles, the simple ball and stick game has evolved into the present day baseball and bats in modern America. The first collection of baseball rules was created there, in 1845.
Baseball bat today
Modern baseball bats differ from each other in size, purpose, weight and material from which they are made. It is a product of high-tech manufacturing processes, which is carefully processed and tested for suitability before falling into the hands of the consumer.
There are certain standards that apply to professional beats. Manufacturing material, weight and size are strictly controlled by top-class specialists. There should be no errors, not only the player's career depends on this, but also the outcome of the entire game. Sometimes several states of America gather for especially important baseball matches, and sometimes several dozen states.
A standard bat should not be longer than 1,068 mm, its weight should not exceed 1 kg, and its thickness - 7 cm. Baseball bats are divided into professional, semi-professional and amateur. The latter can be made of hollow aluminum. For the first two categories, professionals only use solid wood bats.
