Home Made Baseballs

Since this is spring season here in South Florida I have a story to share. When we were kids in Cape Breton many years ago there was a real interest in baseball. Gloves, bats and balls were expensive. Home made bats were common and our father made many from wood. Ash used for handles of picks, shovels and rakes could be just as easily be fashioned into baseball bats. Dad had a spoke shave that did the job nicely.

Baseballs were expensive but we made them from string. My father used to put a wine cork shaped in a nearly round form at the center and wound string in a close pattern until it was roughly the size of a baseball.The loose end was glued and then the taping began. Hockey tape was wrapped in a pattern which gave a smooth surface and a ball which was good enough for our game.

Dad was the best at applying the tape and when the job was complete he always roughed it up by rubbing sand over the surface. This made the ball easier for the pitcher to throw. These ball did not last long but stayed together for several tape applications. I wish I had kept one but I failed in that account but I will attest to the fact that many boys were able to throw mean curves with the string baseball.

On one occasion we played in a tournament sponsored by the Canadian Legion . Every team had to supply two baseballs for each home game. We tried to present the referee with two string baseballs and were denied. Another team with more resources provided balls for or team. We were not really poor , just resourceful.