I had the pleasure of touring the Hoosier Bat Company in Valparaiso on Saturday, along with several other "tech ed" teachers. With the average age of the group close to 60 years old, we were really a bunch of old school shop teachers. Like all old school shop teachers, we're interested in all things manufacturing and this was a very interesting tour. The owner, Mr. Cook, enlightened us not only on how he makes baseball bats but also some of the ins and outs of the politics of Major League Baseball and the politics of our country.
Hoosier Bat Company is a small firm capable of turning out up to 200 bats per day. There are several major league players using their bats and there are about 7 minor league teams within a 100 mile radius of the firm that they sell bats to as well. They even have one of their bats in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Of course they sell to individuals like you and me. You can have the same bat as Manny Ramirez for the same price. They offer about 150 different models and shapes - lengths, diameters, weights, type of wood - whatever the customer wants, they can make. In fact, Hoosier Bat makes a bat with three different types of wood that has been finger jointed and glued together. That's pretty darn clever.
If you're in the market for a baseball bat, and of course there's no better sound in spring than hearing the crack of the bat, then check out Hoosier Bat Company. They're the best there is.
No comments:
Post a Comment