Ash is the first ever type of wood used in a baseball bat. This first known ash bat was crafted by John Andrew "Bud" Hillerich from Louisville, Kentucky in 1884 and then swung by Pete Browning a three time batting champion who played primarily for the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1894. Now other players noticed this type of bat that Browning was using and they too wanted to use an ash bat.Most ash baseball bats come from white ash trees growing in the U.S. Trees are no younger than 50 years old before they are cut down. They are then dried out from anywhere between 6 to 9 months before they are shaped into bats. We have seen some changes over time in ash bats. They didn't taper quite as much as they do today and the barrels were smaller while handles are thicker in the earlier days.White ash is known most for its light weight and smooth feel which most players often prefer. The lightness allows them to swing faster and harder resulting in further hits while the smooth wood offers soft comfort. |