How a Baseball is Made

We've all seen them and played with them. We've all watched them soar into the stands and fit perfectly into a ballplayer's glove. Yet, not many people can tell you how a baseball is made and what materials it takes to form this iconic sport equipment. The sport of baseball itself began halfway through the 19^th century. Alexander Cartwright came up with the rules. He based it on an English game called "Rounders". Cartwright said this new sport of baseball must replace the soft ball with a smaller, harder ball.

A baseball, on the outside, does not look complicated at all. Yet, baseballs are made with precision. Some rumors have circulated throughout the years that the manufactures "juice" the baseballs, created more home runs which brings in more crowds. This has been denied many times by the Major League Baseball and the manufacturers of their products. There is also no proof that the ball's design has been converted or alterations have been made to favor batters in such a way.

A Major League Baseball consists of a round cork center. This is called a pill. It is wrapped tightly in wool and polyester and covered up with cowhide. A combined 600,000 baseballs are used by all Major League teams during the season, according to madehow.com. The average ball stays active on the field for only five to seven pitches. The standard weight of each ball is between five and 5.25 ounces, and they measure between nine and 9.25 inches. This uniform standard was not present in the early years of baseball. Baseballs made then were usually homemade or produced by small business owners. In 1872, the baseball's weight and size were established. When the 1900's came around, the baseball had a rubber core. It only switched to a cork core in 1910.

The only major modification since 1910 was the outside material. In 1974, there was a shortage of supply of horses, therefore putting a higher demand for horsehide. It was during this year that baseballs began using cowhides as the outside covering material.