There are so many technological advances in the world. Baseball bats were being broken so often, parents couldn’t afford them for their kids, so aluminum bats were invented. Then the problem came: the ball hit off the bat so much harder and faster, kids were getting injured on line-drives (mostly the vulnerable pitchers).
People argued about what should be done. Obviously, parents wouldn’t be able to afford new bats when their children broke them. Wood bats can cost well over $100 each. And yet, the aluminum bats were putting their children at risk of serious injury.
With all the technology, I’ve always wondered why scientists hadn’t found a metal bat that wasn’t’ quite as responsive as the present ones—metal bats that more mimicked wood bats. It seemed like a good solution: safer for the children, but also not overwhelming for parents. The cheaper a sport is, the easier it is for parents to let their children play. (For example, hockey and football require safety equipment, some parents are forced to keep their children from playing.)
Someone, however, has approached the solution differently. Rather than coming up with a new metal bat, Ward Dill came up with a new way to make wood bats. The bats are made of wedges of wood, glued under pressure, and are guaranteed for a year. The bats act like wood bats because they are wood bats. And, they won’t shatter like many wooden bats, which are also a danger.
I strongly hope that non-professional players adopt these new bats—and whatever else scientists come up with to improve conditions for cost-effectiveness and safety for those playing. (Admittedly, these bats are still very expensive, but they are guaranteed for a year, and would be safer. Also, presumably, in time, these could become cheaper.)
I purposely said “non-professional”. I hope professional athletes continue with the traditional wooden bats. To me, it’s part of the game. How many times is the groan from the crowd when a guy weakly grounds—or flies—out because his bat broke? It’s frustrating, but so is the umpire calling a guy out on a stolen base when he was safe. Bats have always broken. Now, there’s debates about types of wood used and sizes of handles, and that should be researched. Bats should break on occasion. It’s the nature of the game, but if there is proof about the variables, then these should be addressed.
Then again, I don’t take change well. I don’t want instant replay, either.
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