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Anatomy of a Baseball
In A Better Bat?, you read that baseball bats haven't changed much in 150 years. Baseballs have mostly stayed the same since the modern ball was introduced in 1931.
PILL
The ball’s pill, or core, consists of a grape-sized cork ball surrounded by two layers of rubber. The combination of materials makes the ball “lively,” or bouncy, so it can be hit farther.
WOOL LAYERS
Three layers of wool yarn are wrapped tightly around the baseball’s center. Wool pops back into shape after being hit hard.
COWIDE COVER
A baseball’s smooth exterior is made of cowhide. It’s dyed white to improve visibility and then cut into two figure-8 shapes. To make sure the cover doesn’t come apart when hit, the leather pieces are hand stitched with waxed thread. The thread is red to help a batter see the ball’s spin to predict its movement.
ANALYZE IT: How might a ball’s “liveliness” affect a baseball game?