What Happens To Mlb Baseballs?
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MLB baseballs are subject to rigorous testing to ensure they meet the league’s high standards. Find out what happens to them after they’re used in a game.
The Rawlings factory in Costa Rica
Rawlings has been the official supplier of Major League Baseballs since 1977, and the balls are now made at the company’s factory in Costa Rica. Each ball is hand-stitched by workers who are paid about $2 per ball.
In order to make a baseball, Rawlings first has to procure the hides of around 250 cows. Once the hides arrive at the factory, they are cut into strips and then tanned. After the tanning process, the strips are sent to a machine that stamps out baseball-shaped pieces of leather.
From there, the leather is sent to a machine that stamps out baseball-shaped pieces of leather. After that, another machine punches a hole in the center of each piece of leather, and yet another machine stitches them together with 108 stitches of red thread.
Once the balls are stitched together, they are then sent to be hand-painted by workers who paint the logo of each team on each ball. After the balls are painted, they are sent to be packaged and shipped all over the world.
The process of making a baseball
MLB baseballs start with a small core of cork mixed with rubber. The cork is from the inner bark of the quercus suber, or cork oak, tree found primarily in Portugal and Spain. The rubber comes fromlatex, which is a milky white fluid found in over 12,000 species of tropical plants. The latex is harvested by making a cut in the bark of the tree and collecting the fluid in a cup.
Once the MLB receives the cork and rubber cores, they are sent to Rawlings Sporting Goods Company in Costa Rica. At Rawlings, the cores are wrapped with yarn made of wool from Scottish sheep. The yarn is wound tightly around the core until it reaches the desired thickness. Once it has reached the correct thickness, a machine stitches seams onto the ball and another machine adds two strips of recycled leather to create the Baseball’s distinctive red stitching.
After all of this, each ball is hand-stitched byRawlings employees. Once they are finished stitching, each ball is tossed into a bin where it will be inspected for any defects. If it passes inspection, it will be packaged and shipped off to MLB stadiums across America.
The stitching
When a baseball is hit, the force of the impact can cause the stitches to loosen or come out entirely. A ball that has lost its stitches is no longer playable and must be replaced.
The leather
While the basic shape of baseballs has remained the same since 1857, a lot has changed about the composition of the ball itself. MLB baseballs are now made with cowhide leather, which is hand-wound around a core of cork, rubber and yarn.
The leather is first cut into strategically placed panels that are stitched together by hand. The seems are then covered with two strips of adhesive-backed cloth called the “pill.” Once the adhesive sets, the ball is ready for painting.
The cork
On the inside of a baseball, there is a small, hard core made of cork. Sometimes, a rubber ball is used instead. The cork is surrounded by yarn. The yarn is wound very tightly around the cork. This makes the inside of the baseball very hard.
The outside of the baseball is covered with leather. The leather is stitched together. There are 108 double stitches on a baseball. They are put there by hand. After that, the baseball is ready to be used in a game!
The rubber
One of the most important parts of a baseball is the rubber. The rubber is found inside the ball and is what gives the ball its bounce. The rubber is made from natural or synthetic materials, and it is important to make sure that the rubber is of high quality so that it will not break down easily. The rubber can deteriorate over time, so it is important to check the ball regularly to make sure that it is still in good condition.
The coating
Baseballs are coated with a slippery slickenside that helps pitchers grip the ball, and also makes the ball less aerodynamic so that it doesn’t travel as far when hit.
The packaging
After baseballs are used in Major League play, they are carefully collected and sent back to the manufacturer. Rawlings, for example, says that it can re-use up to 70 percent of the leather from a baseball to make new balls. The rest of the ball — the cork center, the rubber casing around the cork, and the yarn windings — is also recycled.
