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Imagine a baseball season without the iconic crack of an ash bat. This could be a reality thanks to Agrilus planipennis, a small beetle that is causing massive destruction of ash trees across North America.
For decades, ash has reigned supreme in baseball bats. From legendary players like Babe Ruth to modern hitters like Mark McGwire, ash has been the material of choice for its feel and performance. Companies like Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of Louisville Slugger, churned out hundreds of thousands of ash bats each year.
However, agrilus planipennis has changed the game. This invasive insect, the size of a grain of rice, attacks ash trees by laying its eggs under the bark. The larvae then feed on the tree’s vital nutrients, killing it. Since its arrival in the United States in 2002, agrilus planipennis has spread rapidly, leaving behind a trail of dead and dying ash trees.
The impact on baseball has been rapid. Finding quality ash lumber is becoming increasingly difficult. Companies like Hillerich & Bradsby have had to adapt, now primarily producing low-end ash bats for occasional use. Major League Baseball players, once loyal to ash, have switched to maple bats, which offer advantages in hardness and consistency.
Ash’s future in baseball looks bleak. Even if scientists were able to control agrilus planipennis, it would take generations for the ash trees to recover. While other types of wood like birch are being explored, they have not yet captured the hearts (or ears) of gamers.
This change marks the end of an era for baseball. The sound of the ash bat hitting the ball, a sound synonymous with the game for so long, may be fading. The future of baseball bats belongs to maple, for now, leaving ash bats as a relic of a bygone era.
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