game used ball?

[freddiefreeman5]

Re: game used ball?

xpress34,
Thank you for the info.

[xpress34]

Re: game used ball?

we used blackburns mud as well ...... it looks like poop just saying....

Smells like it too!!!

[island_style]

Re: game used ball?

I don't know if this video was posted before, but check it out. It mentions that Nolan Ryan (when he pitched for the Rangers) used to feel the baseballs before the game, and those baseballs would be rubbed for game use. And, he would sign 10-12 of those. Can you imagine catching a foul ball and it had Ryan's autograph on it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-elLnUeF2ro&feature=related

Also, the baseballs are stamped with invisible ink at the Rawlings factory (maybe for quality control?). Place your baseballs under a black light, and you'll probably see the stamp.

Kind Regards,

Ron.

Rsamiano@aol.com

[mlupo]

Re: game used ball?

3.02 - No player shall intentionally discolor or damage the ball by rubbing it with soil, rosin, paraffin, licorice, sand-paper, emery-paper or other foreign substance.

Am I misreading this or is it really funny to anyone else?

[freddiefreeman5]

Re: game used ball?

It's funny that they mention licorice and not tobacco.

[mlupo]

Re: game used ball?

It's funny that they mention licorice and not tobacco.

That's what I was thinking, I was picturing someone on the mound with a Twizzler shoved in his glove. I like to think I know about baseball, but I just wasnt sure is licorice was a nickname for something else.

[xpress34]

Re: game used ball?

My understanding is that Tobacco was specifically NOT mentioned as many players still like to chew, so licorice was substituted.

The whole idea though of that section came about in the late 20's (end of the 'Dead Ball' era and start of the 'Live Ball' era) as the 'Spit Ball' met it's demise.

When Spit Balls were deemed illegal, a handful of players were 'grandfathered' in that had been throwing the Spit Ball for years already. Among them, 'Spittin' Bill Doak who was the last pitcher who was legally allowed to throw a Spit Ball.

Doak is also well known in glove collecting circles as the father of the modern 'web' on baseball mitts. It was his basic design that was improved upon by Rawlings and has evolved to the webs we see today.

Just thought I add some history to the discussion.