The sounds of baseball resonates in our brains and in our veins. It echoes in our society's collective souls. Anyone who grew up in this country, whether you played baseball or not, knows what that crack sounds like. Hell, you can hear it now - can't you?
Little League World Series: The cheers, the yells, the ping of the bat. Wait, the "ping" of the bat?!
That evil sound of "pinggggg'' when a baseball hits an aluminum bat gets my vote for the worst sound. Not only does the bat sound awful, it's dangerous to pitchers, especially at the youth level. The sweet spot is bigger on these bats - more comebackers - they say. Some insist at a higher speed.
In 1924 a patent was issued to William Shroyer for the first metal baseball bat. It's true - you can look it up.
I've been enjoying the Little League World Series this week and the aluminum bats continue to make me shake my head. I've read about the controversy of ball speed after contact and the many lawsuits - I do not believe that the ball comes off the aluminum bat any faster than it comes off ash. That's an entirely different argument.
But the ping. The sound is not a good sound.
Sound spectra produced by wood and aluminum bats.
Here's my vote that the Little League World Series would be much better using the old Louisville Slugger.
Here is the best use of an aluminum bat.
Listen for the sound of contact - PING!
Listen for the sound of contact - PING!
