Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-08-02
MAKING A BASEBALL.
An Operation That Requires Much
skill and Fine Work.

An OptEhtIOh AA'uNhaNH
skill and Fine Work.
The production of n baseball Is an
operation almost as unknown to the
public as its use is familiar.
Yet nearly 100000 balls Il year, or
about 10000 n day, are manufactured
by one Pennsylvania factory alone.
and for a great many of these S1.5O
apiece is paid.
A remarkable amount of skill and
fine workmanship is needed to turn
out a ball that will stand, even for
short time, the powerful batting Of the
big players or will come up to the re-
0uirements for league work.
The various steps in the manufac-
ture of a first class baseball are briefly
as follows:
1t is first solid ball of Para rubber
lust an inch through. The ball Is
nlaced i'm a machine by n boy tender
and is automatically wound with
strong, pure wooden yarn. The wind
ing is done with an evenness that no
human fingers could equal, and the
thick. blue mixed wool forms per-
fectly uniform covering for the core.
This layer is made just an inch thick.
When the right amount of yarn has
been wound on it, the machine stops
automatically. The ball, now two
inches thick. is removed and another
core set.
The partly finished balls are next
dipped-that is. they are dropped into
n transparent fluid called plastic COM
position," which is really n kind OF
cement. This fluid is very adhesive,
and when it enters the wool covering
there is a solidifcation that prevents
the ball from ever being knocked out
of shane. SO certain is this, in fact
that the company guarantees to re-
place all balls that are so injured.
The balls are next wound again, this
time with a certain definite thickness
of three ply white yarn. This is GOV
cred with a three ply blue yarn until
it has reached the requisite size OF
nine inches in circumference. All OF
these winding processes have been au-
tomato. and the balls appear OF eX-
actlv the same size and weight. But
no chances are taken, and each is
weighed several times during the hnal
winding so that accuracy may be as
sured.
After being dipped in the cement
again the ball is ready for covering.
The covers are alum tanned horse
hide. which is as soft and fine as the
best white kid. For the best balls only
eighteen covers can be got out OF one
hide. as only the very choicest parts
can be used.
The hide is first knee staked. That
is. it is stretched backward and for
ward over a knee high stake by
strong boy till it will stretch no more.
The cutting is done by machinery.
The cover is in two pieces, each the
shape of the figure s. a machine
cuts out these pieces and perforates
them ready for sewing. These ma
chimes are wonderfully accurate and
very rapid.
Inc UdllS are UltlNNh w NN'~A@-o
in dampers of wood. and the covers
are fastened first with brass staples
and then with strong cotton thread OF
the best quality. 1t takes about nj
teen minutes to sew the cover on
ball. This requires considerable mus
Gle, and only men are employed on the
work.
The ball is still rough on the seams.
1t is rolled by hand and n few hours
later by machinery, whence it energies
the completed article ready for pack
ing and selling.
The whole process Of making ball
takes Just thirty minutes, and 1t OFTEN
happens that its life on the diamond
is no longer. The professional leagues
usually put in play during a game
from four to six new balls, which are
never again used except for practice.
Amateurs put in play two, three or
four balls, according to their wealth.
Where all the old balls go is a ques-
ton that has never been solved, but
several million disappear every season.
When the winter comes on, the sea-
sons output has gone.-New York
World.