Like the definition states above, a bat is a wooden club used to strike the ball. The batter on the offensive team stands by home plate, and when the ball is pitched, he attempts to strike the ball and put it into play. The bat is usually thinner where the batter grips the bat than at the barrel, where the ball strikes the bat.
Some players grip the bat with their left hand closet to the bottom of the handle, with their right hand just above the left (usually touching). Others slide their hands nearly 1/3 of the length up the bat, at the end of the handle. In either case, the batter chooses a grip which allows for a both comfortable swing and a good amound of force to strike the ball with. When swinging the bat in a natural and comfortable way, one should not try to hit the ball to hard, for this may throw the batter off-balance. Not every batter will be successful by trying to imitate another's swing. Therefore, it is important for each individual to experiment with different grips, stances, and swings until he or she feels comfortable while batting.
To ensure that no player has an unfair advantage with regards to the baseball bat, regulatory rules were written. The following are the bat regulations according to the original set of rules, along with the recommendations regarding the type of bat for a player to choose. The rules and the proceeding recommendations were written by the National Association of Base Ball Players in 1857.
The rule regulating the form and dimensions of the bat is as follows: "Section 2. The bat must be round, and must not exceed two and a half inches in diameter in the thickest part. It must be made of wood, and may be of any length to suit the striker." While all are limited to a particular size in diameter, it will be observed that no objection is made as to any particular length or weight. Bats are from thirty to forty inches in length, and from two to three pounds in weight, the former being most desirable.Since 1857, the rules of the game have changed dramatically, and so have the theories regarding the best baseball bat. In the excerpt above, the Association recommends using a bat that weighs up to three pounds. Although the most recent rules of baseball do not specify a maximum or minimum weight, the average bat used by a professional baseball player weighs about 33 ounces (just over two pounds). The main reason why players choose to use lighter bats than during the early days of baseball is because the pitchers can throw the ball much faster now. It would be virtually impossible for a batter using a 48 ounce bat to consistently strike a ball pitched at 80+ miles per hour.The description of wood most in use is ash, but maple, white and pitch pine, and also hickory bats are in common use, weight for the size governing the selection.
For a bat of medium weight, ash is preferable, as its fiber is tough and elastic. The English willow has recently been used, and is favorably regarded by many. This latter wood is very light and close in fiber, and answers the purpose better than any other wood for a light bat.
In the choice of a bat, select a light one, as it can be wielded better, and in match games it is desirable that the player be able to strike quick enough to meet the rapid pitching that had recently come in vogue. We would not recommend a bat much under two pounds in weight, as some weight is required to overcome the resistance of the ball. (3)
Although there is still no rule regarding the maximum weight of a bat, there have been many changes to the rules of a regulation bat. The following is an exerpt from the 1997 edition of the Official Baseball Rules, produced by the National Association of Professional Baseball.
1.10 (a) The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2 3/4 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.NOTE: No laminated or experimental bats shall be used in a professional game (either championship season or exhibition games) until the manufacturer has secured approval from the Rules Committee of his design and methods of manufacture.
(b) Cupped Bats. An indentation in the end of the bat up to one inch in depth is permitted and may be no wider than two inches and no less than one inch in diameter. The indentation must be curved with no foreign substance added.
(c) The bat handle, for not more than 18 inches from its end, may be covered or treated with any material or substance to improve the grip. Any such material or substance, which extends past the 18 inch limitation, shall cause the bat to be removed from the game. NOTE: If the umpire discovers that the bat does not conform to (c) above until a time during or after which the bat has been used in play, it shall not be grounds for declaring the batter out, or ejected from the game.
(d) No colored bat may be used in a professional game unless approved by the Rules Committee. (4)
As you can see, the rules defining a regulation baseball bat have changed over time, however the bat still has the same function. Baseball bats vary in length, weight and shape, depending on the age and caliber of the player. All of these characteristics of a bat are controlled by the wood-turner, who is the one that turns a piece of wood into a baseball bat using a skill called wood-turning.
Wood-turning involves the use of a machine called a lathe. The piece of wood is secured in the lathe, which spins the wood at a very high speed. Using special tools, the wood-turner virtually carves a bat out of the the wood, and sands it down so that the bat is smooth. The process sounds easy, but depending on who the bat is going to be made for, the entire process may take hours. Players who want their bats just right often sit with the wood-turner and criticize their work until the bat is perfect.
Even today, some wood bats are personally carved by a wood-turner, however machines can do just as good a job. Although their production of baseball bats has greatly increased since the early days of the company, the name Louisville Slugger is still a sign of quality in baseball bats. If a Louisville Slugger from the beginning of the 20th Century was placed next to a Louisville Slugger from this decade, there would be no significant differences. Today's wood bats are just as strong and just as powerful as the original Louisville Slugger's, which is why the name Louisville Slugger can be still be found in the dugouts of every team in every state, at all levels of play.