The Cordova daily times., 1921-10-08
LESS ASH MEANS FEWER HOME
 RUNS

and his associates who specialize in wllloping the horsehide out of a lot may we'll begin to ask what kind of bats they will use when the diminish inE supplies of ash make it less easy for them to obtain this hitherto fayorite material. During the last few years several sporting goods fac tories have attempted to introduce hickory bats as a substitute for the traditional ash This has been un- successful, however. because hickory. although 1t possesses greater shock absorptive qualities than ash. is too heavy.
 One of the greatest curiosities at a leading bat factory is a model room where more than 1,2OO bat patterns are kept on display. Each model em- bodies the individual likes and dis likes of the various players There are thin bats. portly bats. heavy clubs, light bats. some with handles of un- usual shape and design, and some with bodies that resemble bottles. Whenever professional player or ders new consignment of bats this factory i3 able to refer to the 5pec:ol model desired and to pattern .he new bats after that particular design The bats of the big league players are turned out by hand great care and skill being employed in their produc. tion
 The majority of the white ash tim bnr used in making baseball bats is cut from farm wood lots 1ud timher tracts in Kentucky. Ohio and the lake and lower Mississippi states. The timber is cut in the winter, logged and hauled to the railroad whcuce it is transported to the factories, a number of which are located at Louis vile, Ky. The ash is cut up in bolt form. each bolt being ultimately con verted into a finished bit After ar rival at the factory the bolts are stored in curing sheds for from several months up to a year in order that the wood may season thoroughly. Skilled workmen ultimately work the bolts up into bats for all grades of ball play CTS from the stars of the big leagues to the sandlot champions and school players.
 According to a standing timber sur vey made by the United States for est service at the request of congress, present ash resources aggregate ap- proximately 9,9SS.OOO 900 board feet. For the most part. those ash assets are scattered over a wide range of woodlands. the ash trees being prev alent in mixed forests of hardwood timber. Obviously if ash were used solely for the manufacture of baseball bats our national game would have no need to concern itself about sub stitutes for a long time to come. But
 
 the industries which use ash are al ready beginning to find it hard to ob- tain high grade material in sufficient quantities to meet their needs, and its price prior to the recent slackening in industrial activity rose rapidly. In par ticular, the vehicle and handle indus tries have been fierce competitors for ash Over half the annual cut goes into handles, vehicle parts, wooden ware and novelties.
 Already the search for substitutes has begun. As for growing more ash, foresters say that with the waning of the virgin supplies the farmer 8 woodlot is coming to play a larger and larger part in filling market needs and that farmers whose woodland is suitable for ash production will do we'll to favor this species. The laminated, or two or three piece bat originated and perfect. tu by tue bIittu DlaltS toi Nob S'i 'ANN' also promises to exert a potential, con servative influence on the white ash supplies necessary for the production of our best bats Short pieces of ma terial which otherwise would be worth less for bat construction can now be fitted and joined together with the same kind of waterproof glue th2t is used in making airplane propellors. so that is used in making airplane pro pellers. so that the finished product is a baseball bat as resilient, springy, durable and satisfactory as the one piece variety.
 Majagua wood. which comes from Cuba. has been used to some extent
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