The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-22

of balls forms no small industry, and il
the means of furnishing employment
| to many thousands in Boston, New
York and several other principal cities
Philadelphia and Chicago, however,
are generally admitted as being the
great centers of this industry. and it i:
estimated that fully two-thirds of al
the balls used are manufactured at these
| two places.
The variety of balls made is numer,
Gus. all of which are designated BY
welLknown brands. The chief of base
balls is the profes ;ional or dead ball,
that beng the one adopted and used by
the Association and League Clubs
The manufacture of this ball represents S
the acme of baseball making. Every
thing about it is of the best quality. Its
nucleus is an imported yulcanized
India Rubber ball, and the yarn of
which it is wholly wrapped is the best
woolen. The cover, which is sewed
with a thread made of Irish fax, is
alum tanned horse hide. There are
three kinds of warn uscd-a heavy four
ply blue, finer white yarn, and an
other blue, thrce-ply, butao. so coarse,
and of 4 lighter shade than the first.
Until quite recently these yarns were
wrapped entirely by hand. A winding
machine has now been invented and is
being successfully operated. which
wraps the first two yarns tighter and
better than could be done by hand and
which economies much time and
labor. The rubber ball is placed in the
machine, which somewhat resembles a
large coffee mill. and wrapped with
three ounces of the heavy blue yarn.
This yarn is wrapped very compactly
and solidly and gives a strong, solid
body to the ball The small blue ball
which this forms is then enwrapped
with the white yarn, half ounce OF
which is put on by the same machine.
This brings the ball up to little more
than half its regular size. The opera
ton of this machine is one of the
trade and is known Ouly to those who
are Immediately engaged in that
branch of the making.
After being machine-wrapped the
balls are dipped into Il patent rubber
cement, a very sticky substance, re-
sembling mucilage, which renders them
almost as hard as a rock. This cement
when hardened forms Il solid protec-
ton TO the ball inside, and to it is due
the fact that. no matter how hard
batted this bali viii not lose its shape.
After cementing-it requires but few
to dry-the bail is ready for
1.-The wrapper" These wrappers are
made BY boys about fourteen to sixteen
years Of age. They sit on low chairs
or stools, and in old soap or other boxes
beside them lay the long fleeces of
worsted from which they wind. Be
meath their nimble fingers, which are
from chafng by leather
the ball rapidly attains its
full proportions. The single thread
Of blue which they wind is swiftly
carried around and around in the ordi-
nary way of winding, bat the rapidity.
3venness and finish with which it is
lone is surprising During this wrap
ping the ball Is continually pounded
-hwacked by a heavy wooden bat re-
'embling a cricket bat in shape, but |
smaller. This is done for |
5he purpose of preserving the shape of |
-he bail and of making it as tightly |
as possible Enough OF |
this yarn is used to make the bali weigh |
four and one-half ounces, and every ball |
IS weighed. With the exception of
lew turns of a strong white tw;ne, done |
" different set of boys, called fill |
NC out" the body of the ball is COM
olete and ready for covering.
1t is not generally known that the
lorSe, rs well as the sheep, contributes |
o the making of this favorite article,
)ut, as mentioned, the covers of the |
professional ball are all made of horse
hide. In the case of the cheaper balls
;heepSkin is used altogether for that
purpose. Almost all of the horsehideS
AIMED are made into baseball covers,
md the horses that yearly pay tribute
% this purpose number far into the
The hides are tanned in
alum and to this is due their bright,
white appearance. A cover consists of |
.wo pieces of exact shape and dimen-
'ionS, resembling somewhat the sOles
IF shoes, which are cut with die in |
the same way. The die is
placed over the leather and struck with
4 heavy mallet, each half cover being
,ut separately. Before the covers are
cut the leather is stretched on stak-
ng machine, which is nothing moro
han a firm, upright plank, in the end
of which is held dull blade. over
which the leather is faulty drawn back !,
md forth.
The covers of the ball just described |
ire stitched by men. The cover is first
acked by four stitches so placed rs to
lold it in shape, While being stitched
t is firmly held in the jaws of an ordi-
nary harness-maIcr' horse. Holes are
made in the cover with an awl and the
bread carried through by a large
needle. The stitch is exactly the same
Is that which one end of the lace of a
'hoe makes. After the cover is sewed
IN the ball is rolled between two slabs
If evenly polished wood or marble. for
he purpose of smoothing it and taking
he rough stitches out. 1t is then ready
or the packing room.
The process of making the cheaper
,alls is altogether different from that
If the one described. 1t varies slightly
according to the grade of the bali, but
5 in each case essentially the same.
The body of these balls is not
made of yarn, but of leather scraps.
The greater part of this scrap
Gather. an enormous quantity of which
S used, is furnished BY pocket-book
makers and glovers. The balls are
made in this way: Thescrap is damp
,ned, which makes it hold together
'ctter and is thus more easily handled.
t is first weighed and then started into
ball by being held in one hand and
with stout twine by the
ther. As the mass gathers shape it is
'ounded solid by a heavy mallet When