There’s a big U.S. holiday coming up for the 4th of July (Independence Day) and what’s more American than Baseball in the summertime? Well, baseball has been exported successfully to Japan and right now there’s a controversy brewing there about the actual baseballs used in the sport. Which leads me to wonder, how do they figure all these things out? And that means Baseball Standards!
The issue in Japan centers on the increase of the coefficient of restitution of the ball (the bounciness that is affected by the material at the core of the ball). Turns out that there’s a number of standardized tests that are used to measure the various features of baseballs, to insure that the balls meet the requirements of the various sports associations (including NPB, Nippon Professional Baseball). These baseball standards are:
- ASTM F1887, Standard Test Method for Measuring the Coefficient of Restitution (COR) of Baseballs and Softballs,
- ASTM F1888, Test Method for Compression-Displacement of Baseballs and Softballs, and
- ASTM F2845, Standard Test Method for Measuring the Dynamic Stiffness (DS) and Cylindrical Coefficient of Restitution (CCOR) of Baseballs and Softballs.
And if you’re suspecting that the home run stats are being affected by the bat instead, here’s the various tests that can be used to check it out:
- ASTM F1881, Standard Test Method for Measuring Baseball Bat Performance Factor,
- ASTM F2219, Standard Test Methods for Measuring High-Speed Bat Performance,
- ASTM F2398, Standard Test Method for Measuring Moment of Inertia and Center of Percussion of a Baseball or Softball Bat, and
- ASTM F2844, Standard Test Method for Displacement Compression of Softball and Baseball Bat Barrels.
To review more standards on sports equipment and playing fields, we have a Document Center page for the ASTM Volume on Standards for Sports Equipment and Facilities. And there’s also the Document Center List of Standards on Outdoor and Water Sports Equipment.
Going to an Amusement Park for the holiday instead of a ball game? There’s Standards on Amusement Rides and Amusement Parks too!
Count on Document Center to help you find the standards you need. We’re on the web at www.document-center.com. Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com). No matter what kind of standards you need, we’ve got you covered. We’re your Standards Experts.
