How baseballs are made (video)

[JHSump]

http://www.reliableplant.com/view/25724/how-baseballs-are-manufactured

interesting video!

[mjr_2013]

Wow. I never would have thought they hand stitch the red string. They must be such a time strenuous job... I don't really understand the whole not being able to show the weave on camera thing. Is Rawlings really worried that Nike and other manufacturers will steal their string tightening ideas?

And think, it takes a week to make a ball that will see probably 3-5 major league pitches, if that... Seventy of those are used on average in one game.

[T-Rav]

Wow. I never would have thought they hand stitch the red string. They must be such a time strenuous job... I don't really understand the whole not being able to show the weave on camera thing. Is Rawlings really worried that Nike and other manufacturers will steal their string tightening ideas?

And think, it takes a week to make a ball that will see probably 3-5 major league pitches, if that... Seventy of those are used on average in one game.

That's only for major league baseballs. I would imagine they have made a machine to stitch the balls we (the non MLB umps) use. I'm lucky to get 3 balls in a game.... wish I could get 70+...

[mjr_2013]

Wow. I never would have thought they hand stitch the red string. They must be such a time strenuous job... I don't really understand the whole not being able to show the weave on camera thing. Is Rawlings really worried that Nike and other manufacturers will steal their string tightening ideas?

And think, it takes a week to make a ball that will see probably 3-5 major league pitches, if that... Seventy of those are used on average in one game.

That's only for major league baseballs. I would imagine they have made a machine to stitch the balls we (the non MLB umps) use. I'm lucky to get 3 balls in a game.... wish I could get 70+...

Right. I assume this was major league only... I get a ball from each team at the beginning of the game, and coaches are required to have a couple at the ready in case a ball is fouled off into the woods that back the field.

The balls we use cost like $5... The balls the pros use cost $15-$20... Now we know part of the reason why (the other part is that the pros are rip offs)

[JHSump]

I was also surprised the stitches are done by hand. If "amateur" balls are machine sewn, wouldn't that machine be just as good --- if not better --- for mlb balls? More consistent, for example. I'll look around on the internet...

[JHSump]

http://www.discovery.com/area/skinnyon/skinnyon970326/skinny1.html

According to this article at Discovery.com *every* ball is sewn by hand --- not just mlb baseballs !!!

[ring-em-up12]

on shop.mlb.com its $15 per ball thats 150000 balls on average I dont know if that factory is in America but each worker should make on average 33 balls a day. How does this area opperate in the green with all of the over head? I guess Rawlings Makes up for it in other areas, or else these people are not making any money per hour. just an observation.