ABSTRACT
The selection of the type of wood used in baseball bats involves very little science, and few wood species have been used to make bats throughout baseball’s history. Early baseball bats were made of hickory. Hickory is a very strong wood, and bats made from it are durable, however hickory is also a very dense wood. Thus the high strength and durability comes at the cost of added weight. Bat weight became an important factor for players as lighter bats can be swung faster. Ash, a lighter wood, became the wood of choice and replaced hickory. The lighter weight ash also resulted in less durable bats, but in today’s game, many players are willing to make this sacrifice if it means quicker swing speed. The most recent development in wood bats has been the increasing popularity of maple bats, which are only slightly heavier than ash bats, but offer added durability and have a different feel.
