THE ULTIMATE BASEBALL BALLS GUIDE

During the mid-1800s, there was great variety in the size dimensions and shapes of baseballs. Early balls consisted of a rubber core made from old, melted shoes, that was wrapped in yarn and leather. There are even some records of fisheyes being used as the core in some places!

Pitchers commonly made their own balls, but these often softened and unraveled during the game. Popular designs included the ‘lemon peel ball’, named after its distinct stitching design. These balls led to exciting, high-scoring games as they were smaller and much lighter than modern-day baseballs.

From the 1850s standardization of the baseball ball began. In the mid-1850s, teams in New York met to agree regulations on ball sizes. It was decided that the regulation weight of a baseball would be 5½oz–6oz (155.9g – 170.1g), and the circumference of a baseball would be 8in–11in (20.3cm – 27.9cm).

Despite this agreement, there continued to be inconsistencies with baseball sizes, and it wasn’t until 1934 that The National League and American League standardized the baseball. They agreed on a cushion cork center, two wrappings of yarn, a special rubber cement coating, two more wrappings of yarn, and a horsehide cover. From then onwards, minor developments have been made to the baseball to reach the product that is used in the MLB (Major League Baseball) today.

Baseballs undergo a precise construction process to ensure optimal performance with every use. The cork/rubber core or ‘pill’ is molded into a small sphere shape, before special machinery winds various layers of different ply wool yarn (over 200 yards’ worth in total) around the core under high tension. Once the core has been tightly wrapped, the entire structure is covered with two pieces of leather cowhide. The leather covers of the baseball are often hand-stitched together using red cotton, with approximately 108 double stitches needed to create the seam.

White has been the color used for baseballs since the early 20^th century, and it is the leather cowhide that gives baseballs their white color. Prior to that date, baseballs were often brown or tan because of the natural leather that was used, but issues with visibility during gameplay meant a shift to white.

These days there are some training balls that are different colors, but for the most part white is always favored. The stitched seam on the baseball has always been red and gives the ball its characteristic appearance that we have become accustomed to. Manufacturers will print their own logos on the baseball and different colored logos may be used for alternative baseball models like softballs, but the core colors of a white leather cover and a red stitched seam remain the same. 

The type of baseball used will depend on the players age, and there are different types of baseballs available to suit different age groups and playing formats.

Below, we’ll outline the different types of baseballs by age:

Tee Ball (ages 4-7) - tee balls are designed for baseball players aged 4-7. Similar in size to regulation baseballs, they are often made with a cushioned or foam core and synthetic leather covers which makes them much lighter than professional-grade balls. The softer balls are perfect for young players learning the basics of batting and fielding and they help reduce the risk of any injuries.

Youth/Little League (ages 8-12) - designed for use with youth-sized alloy/composite bats, youth/Little League baseballs are used by players aged 8-12. Harder than tee balls but softer than professional-grade balls, they have a cushioned cork center which has a looser wind than balls designed for older players, something which affects how fast and far they can travel. The seams are also raised to help players get a good grip.

High School (ages 13-18) - high school baseballs are very similar to professional-grade baseballs, but they have some minor differences. NFHS regulation baseballs have a lighter density which aligns with the fact players use aluminum bats rather than the wooden bats used in professional baseball. The lighter density balls which also feature raised seams don’t travel as far.

College (ages 18-22) - as you’d expect college baseballs are the closest thing to professional baseballs, but there are still some differences. Whilst the seams aren’t raised like they are for some baseballs designed for younger players, NCAA approved baseballs have a slightly lighter density in comparison to professional baseballs as players use aluminum baseball bats.

Professional – as we’ve already covered, professional baseballs are firm and wound tightly. Major League baseballs are used for AAA and Major League baseball including the MLB. Minor League baseballs also exist and are used in All Minor Leagues from Rookie Ball to AA leagues. Minor League baseballs are a little softer than Major League baseballs, but they are still firm. The seams also differ enough that professional players can tell the difference between the two, but the overall differences are minimal.

Softball is very similar to baseball, but it is played on a smaller field and pitches are underhand. The game is split into two main disciplines, slow-pitch and fast-pitch. As the names suggest, the main differences are in the pitching speeds, with slow-pitch pitches being much slower than fast-pitch pitches. 

Now that you have read our complete baseball balls guide, why not check out our complete range of baseball balls which include game balls, training balls and soft-pitch softballs.

As well as baseballs we also carry a variety of top of the range baseball equipment, such as batting cages, training rebounders, backstop nets, pitching machines and more!