Different types of bats

Adair, Robert Kemp. The Physics of Baseball. New York: Harper & Row, 1990. Print.

One thing people almost never consider is that baseball players use different bats, which can create a distinct advantage over another kind of bat.

According to the official rules of baseballs, "The bat shall be a smooth, rounded stick not more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood" (Adair 112). Not how the type of wood is not specified by the rules of baseball, and can be made out of various kinds of wood to provide the batter better performance. "Babe ruth used a 56 ounce lumber bat, instead of the hickory made 45 ounce bats that were the most common" (Adair 113). Knowing this information made me curious on whether or not a heavier bat could really help and provide a noticeable difference. So I tested this, having a light weight wooden bat versus a heavier bat. I found that it was harder to connect a hit with the heavier bat than the light weight bat, but the power behind the heavier bat provided a much stronger hit on the ball when it did connect.