Where Are Major League Baseballs Made?
Contents
It’s a common question asked by baseball fans: where are major league baseballs made? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the history of baseball production and where the majority of baseballs used today are manufactured.
Rawlings
Rawlings baseballs are carefully handcrafted in Costa Rica under the watchful eye of master craftsmen. Skilled workers hand-stitch each ball using the highest-quality materials. They start with a grey-rubber core, which is then wrapped in multiple layers of premium domestic wool and polyester yarn. The yarn is hand-wound to ensure evenness and consistency. Once the ball is the proper size, another layer of wool and polyester is added for durability.
Company History
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an American sports equipment manufacturing company based in Town and Country, Missouri. The company specializes in baseball and softball equipment and apparel, and has been the official baseball supplier to Major League Baseball (MLB) since the 1930s.
Manufacturing Process
Major League Baseballs are manufactured in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and China. In the early 2000s, Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, the official baseball supplier for Major League Baseball became the sole manufacturer of professional baseballs.
The construction of a baseball begins with a small core of cork mixed with latex rubber. This core is then covered with two layers of wool windings. Once the ball is wrapped, it is ready to be covered with cowhide leather.
Rawlings uses only the highest quality leather to make their balls. The leather is cut into twelve panels and hand-stitched together by expert craftsmen. Once the stitching is complete, an official MLB logo is stamped on each ball. The balls are then shipped to MLB stadiums where they are used in games.
Wilson
Wilson has been making Major League Baseballs for over 100 years. The company is based in Ada, Ohio, and most of the balls are still made there. The leather for the balls is sourced from all over the world, but the rest of the ball is made in the United States.
Company History
Wilson has been making baseballs since 1887, and today they are the official provider for Major League Baseball. The company is based in Chicago, Illinois, and all of their balls are made in the United States. Wilson sources their leather from cattle farms in Nebraska and Kansas, and the stitching is done by hand in their factory. Every ball is hand-stitched by expert craftsmen, a process that takes about an hour to complete.
While Wilson is the official provider for Major League Baseball, they are not the only company that makes baseballs. Other companies like Rawlings and Diamond make balls that are used in Minor League Baseball and college games.
Manufacturing Process
Each baseball is handcrafted with great precision and care. Rawhide laces are hand-wound around a small, red cork center. The cover is hand-stitched to the ball with red thread. An experienced craftsman can hand sew a baseball in about two minutes.
Louisville Slugger
In 1884, a young man by the name of Bud Hillerich set out to make his mark on the world. Louisville, Kentucky was his home, and baseball was his game. Hillerich had a love for the sport that bordered on obsession, and he was determined to be the best at it. He started out making bats for his local team, and soon he was making them for teams all over the country. Today, Louisville Slugger is the Official Bat of Major League Baseball.
Company History
Louisville Slugger is a baseball bat manufacturing company based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company was founded in 1884 and has been manufacturing baseball bats ever since. Louisville Slugger has been making Major League Baseballs since 1885 and is the official bat of Major League Baseball.
The company is currently owned by Wilson Sporting Goods. In 2015, the company manufactured 1.2 million bats, making it the largest bat manufacturer in the world. Louisville Slugger also manufactures other baseball-related products, such as gloves, batting gloves, and helmets.
Manufacturing Process
The manufacturing process for Louisville Slugger baseball bats begins with a strip of wood that is Ideally, the wood is cut from a single piece of maple, ash or birch. The pieces are generally cut in the fall when the trees are dormant because the grain is more compact at that time.
After the wood is cut, it is graded for hardness and straightness. The hardest woods are used for the barrel of the bat while the softer woods are used for the handle. The graded strips of wood are then put into a kiln to dry for six to eight weeks.
Once they are dry, the strips of wood are glued together and put into a machine that shapes them into baseball bat blanks. From there, they are hand-sanded and sent to another machine that drills the holes for the handles. At this point, some bats will have their trademarked logo burned into them.
After the logos are added, the bats undergo a final sanding before they are ready to be painted and shipped out.
