Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1902-09-12
MAKING a BASEBALL.
An Operation That Requires Much
skill and Fine Work.

An Operation That Requires Much |
skill and Fine Work.
The production of a baseball is an |
operation almost as unknown to the |
public as its use is familiar.
Yet nearly 100000 balls a year, or
about 1900 a day, are manufactured !
by one Pennsylvania factory alone,
and for a great many Of these $3.50
apiece is paid.
A remarkable amount of skill and
fine Workmanship is needed to turn
out a ball that will stand. even for a
short time, the powerful batting Of the
big players OF viii come up to the re
auirements for league work.
The various steps in the manufac.
ture Of first class baseball are briefly
as follows:
1t is first a solid ball of Para rubber
Just an inch through. The ball is
placed in a machine by a 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
a transparent fluid called plastic com
POSITION" which is really a kind Of
cement. This fluid is very adhesive,
and when it enters the wool covering
there is a qualification that prevents
the ball from ever being knocked out
Of shape. 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
r it has reached the requisite size OF
nine inches in circumference. All OF
l these winding processes have been au
2 tomato, and the balls appear Of ex
I actly the same size and weight. But
: no chances are taken, and each i.
weighed several times during the tina
winding so that accuracy may be as
sured.
After being dipped in the cemen
again the ball is ready for covering.
II The covers are alum tanned horse
: hide, which is as soft and fine as tn
:. best white kid For the best balls Onl,
eighteen covers can be got out Of on
. hide, as only the very choicest part
! can be used.
. The hide is first knee staked. Tha
is. it is stretched backward and fol
e ward over a knee high stake by
i strong boy till it will stretch no more
The cutting is done by machinei!
y The cover is in two pieces, each th
= shape Of the figure S. A machin
~ cuts out these pieces and perforatC
y them ready for sewing. These mi
u chimes are wonderfully accurate an
very rapid.
N The balls are placed for GOVERN
in hampers of wood. and the cove
lie are fastened first with brass stapl'
~ and then with strong cotton thread
r the best quality. 1t takes about f
IN teen minutes to sew the cover on
ball. This requires considerable mu
It's Gle. and only men are employed on Il
on work.
30 The ball is still rough on the seam
a 1t is rolled by hand and a few hou
he later by machinery, whence it emery
the completed article ready for pac
ing and selling.
The whole process Of making bi
an. takes just thirty minutes, and it Oft
happens that its life on the diamo
on is no longer. The professional leagu
on usually put in play during a gar
of from four to six new balls, which a
nd never again used except for practi
ms Amateurs put in play two three
four balls, according to their veal
Tho Where all the old balls so is a gu
an ton that has never been solved,
20 several million disappear every seas
~ When the winter comes on. the S
NJ, sons output has gone.-New "
- VNrc,.IT