What Kind of Wood Were Baseball Bats Originally Made Of?

There are few sports more American than baseball and few items more iconic in sports than the baseball bat. It has become a part of the larger American culture, as anyone who's seen enough gangster movies can attest to. Despite baseball's long history, however, the composition of the bat has changed little in nearly two centuries of play.

There are numerous stories surrounding the origin of the game of baseball, and a number of names associated with its beginnings. One story has baseball originating from the English game of rounders, which featured the use of a stick to hit a ball with. The baseball bat would evolve from that stick into the unique piece of sports equipment it is today, starting in the early to mid-1800s.

The early days of baseball saw a proliferation of all kinds of bats. The familiar rounded shape took hold only gradually, for example, as players discovered the advantages such a shape had when they used the bat to hit the ball. The type of wood used also offered advantages. The wood used to make wagon tongues became popular. This wood, usually hickory or white ash, was sturdy and held up well under the rigors of the game.

As the game progressed, the need arose for standardized equipment. Various measurements for baseball bats were established, some more specific than others. For example, the bat cannot exceed a certain length, but it can be shorter than that length. Bat construction was not standardized, and with few exceptions, there is no rule as to what a bat must be made of, though hickory and ash continued to be most common.

Modern bats continue to be made primarily out of hardwoods such as hickory or ash. Louisville Sluggers, for example, are made almost exclusively out of white ash. Other companies have generally used some type of ash or hickory. This is due not only to the durability of the wood but also the way in which these woods can be shaped into quality baseball bats, with the lumber being straight and having few knots or other odd disfigurements.

Not all bats are made out of wood anymore. Starting in the 1970s, companies began to manufacture aluminum bats. The advantage of aluminum comes from its strength and light weight. An aluminum bat will not break (though early models bent), and it is easily swung. However, despite their popularity in college and amateur baseball, aluminum bats have not caught on in the Major Leagues, where wood continues to dominate home plate.