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About Tom Schott
Expertise
I will deal with the major leagues only from 19th century to present. I`m good on baseball history, records, statistics, ballparks. Try to stick to on-the-field stuff. I`m not interested in personal off-the-field stuff like spouses, girl friends, drug habits, salaries, mascots, etc. If you already know the answer to the question, please don't ask it. I don't want to play "stump the expert."

Experience
I've written on the subject, and I have substantial library of resources.

Publications
Numerous encyclopedia, newspaper, magazine articles. One book, several book chapters.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in American history.

Awards and Honors
Bevy of writing awards.

You are here: Experts > Games > Trivia > Baseball Trivia (General) > Manufacture of Baseballs

Topic: Baseball Trivia (General)

Expert: Tom Schott
Date: 6/29/2008
Subject: Manufacture of Baseballs

Question
My dad who saw all the greats said in the 40,s the ball was dead and that their was less rubber in it. True or false?

Answer
False.

http://www.fogdog.com/fog-the-history-of-the-baseball--bg-527303.html
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/7713scit3.html
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=235658
http://www.pennridge.org/p/p-baseball.html

have information on the history of the baseball. They were machine-made from professional baseball's early days. That is the horsehide (and later cowhide) is cut and the rubber-encased cork center is wound with yarn by machine. All baseballs are hand stitched. Standards for the technical specifications of the ball got set fairly early on. Beginning about 1920 (the end of the "dead ball" era), improvements in the manufacturing process and a new type of yarn developed during the Great War resulted in the lively ball we are familiar with. The rubber encased cork center has not changed for over a hundred years.

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