Who Makes Baseballs For MLB?
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Rawlings has been making baseballs for the MLB since 1887. In this blog post, we take a look at how they make these iconic balls.
Rawlings
Rawlings is an American sporting goods company based in St. Louis, Missouri. It is most notable for manufacturing baseballs for Major League Baseball (MLB) and collegiate baseball. Rawlings also manufactures other sporting equipment, such as gloves, bats, protective gear, and various casual and active apparel.
Company History
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an American sporting goods company based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company designs and manufactures baseballs, bats, gloves, athletic protective equipment, and other sports equipment. It is the official baseball supplier to Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB), and has supplied material to professional baseball leagues and players worldwide for over a century.
Manufacturing Process
In order to become an Official Baseball, a Rawlings baseball must go through over 70 steps and pass over 100 quality control inspections. The construction of an Official Baseball begins when Cowhide leather is delivered to the Rawlings factory in Costa Rica. The leather is cut into strips and then fed into a machine that stamps out the shape of a baseball.
After the baseball shape is cut out, the Rawlings workers take over. They hand-sew each baseball with 88 stitches of Red Dye Coats cotton thread. After the baseballs are sewn, they are soaked in a bath of Slushy Gutter oil for 10 minutes in order to soften them. Next, the baseballs are hand-stitched again, this time with 108 stitches of black Nylon thread.
After the balls are stitched for the second time, they are put into a machine that spins them at high speeds. This step gives the baseballs their smooth shape and hardness. Once they come out of the machine, Rawlings workers put special logos on each ball and hand-paint the red stitching on each ball with black ink. Finally, each ball is individually wrapped and packaged.
Wilson
Wilson is the official baseball provider for Major League Baseball. Wilson has been making baseballs for the MLB since they became the official provider in 2013.
Company History
In 1839, Harwood Wilson founded the company that would eventually become Wilson Sporting Goods in Worcester, Massachusetts. The company initially produced a variety of products, including baseballs, basketballs, boxing gloves, and billiard cues. In 1917, Wilson was selected as the official ball supplier for the newly formed Major League Baseball (MLB). The following year, Wilson introduced the now- iconic “laced” baseball design.
During World War II, Wilson ceased production of sporting goods and instead manufactured products for the military, such as airplane propellers and helmets. In the 1950s, Wilson reentered the baseball market with the introduction of the “Duke” brand ball, named after legendary New York Yankees pitcher Waite Hoyt. Today, Wilson is MLB’s official ball supplier and manufactures balls for both MLB and minor league games.
Manufacturing Process
The cores of the baseballs are made of cork mixed with a small amount of rubber. The yarn wound around the ball is made of three different types of yarn: polyester, wool, and cotton. Wilson uses red synthetic leather for the ball covers.
To start, a small core is made by combining cork with a rubber compound. Next, 108 yards of yarn are hand-wound around the core. The yarn is a blend of three different types: polyester, wool, and cotton. Once the winding process is complete, the ball is covered with two pieces of synthetic leather. The cover is stitched shut by hand using red thread.
Other Brands
Rawlings has been the official baseball provider to Major League Baseball since 1977, but they are not the only company that manufactures baseballs for MLB games. Wilson and Diamond are two other companies that make baseballs for MLB.
Company History
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an American sporting goods company based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company was founded in 1887 by George Rawlings and currently produces baseballs, basketballs, footballs, softballs, and volleyballs.
Rawlings officially became the baseball supplier for Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1977, and has held that contract ever since. In 2001, Rawlings received a five-year contract extension from MLB which ended after the 2006 season. The new contract runs through 2011, with an option for 2012 and 2013. Under the terms of the latest agreement between Rawlings and MLB, the official ball of MLB is “Rawlings baseball manufactured at their Costa Rican factory.”
Manufacturing Process
It all starts with white Mississippi River Valley sugar maple trees, which are cut down and sent to one of two cooperages in Pennsylvania. There, the wood is shaved into thin strips and soaked in a water and steam mixture, which makes it more flexible.
