"Offense sells tickets, defense wins games."
Changes in all aspects of society have come about for the single purpose of making money. Baseball is no different. The game has had to evolve with the times and meet the demands and interest of fans. Drawing more fans, means more money. Fans are drawn with a tougher offense. Thus the game must evolve to meet the need for more offense.
The evolution of baseball begins with the baseball bat...
Bats come in various widths, lengths and materials. Naturally, a heavier bat will give more momentum to the ball. However, a heavier bat means less speed in the swing. A lighter bat will give the batter more control but less momentum. The restitution of a bat (the relationship with the "bounciness" of an object) also determines how far a ball will travel. Bats made out of aluminum or graphite hit balls farther than bats made of wood.
In the 1970's, aluminum bats were first used. Batting averages rose 30 points and the number of homeruns hit doubled. Now, Major League batters use wooden bats. If they changed to a lighter material such as aluminum, there would be more homeruns hit and the traditional records and baseball legends would seem insignificant.
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| Babe Ruth | Mark McGwire |
Because different leagues (major, minor and amateur) use different types of bats, the transition to different leagues was difficult. A bat was needed to aid players in the adjustment from each league. Designers wanted the features of hardwood bats and the light weight of aluminum bats.
In 1991, Steven
Baum, a mechanical engineer created the "Baum Bat".
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The Baum Bat was made of high strength inner core made from resin impregnated fibers and yarns with an ashwood surface. It looked, felt and functioned as a wooden bat but was much more durable. The Baum Bat improved hitting power by 5%. |
Balls have also been restructured to travel farther and the pitchers mound has been moved back. Changes in materials and designs of equipment have brought an overall increase to the offense and the game has evolved to give fans a more exciting game.
Sources:
1. The Evolution of the Baseball Bat http://www.people.virginia.edu/~shj2n/case/class/bats.html
2. The Baum Bat http://www.baumbat.com/PAGE1.htm