Imagine a baseball season without the iconic crack of an ash bat. This could become a reality thanks to the emerald ash borer, a tiny beetle that causes 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 sluggers like Mark McGwire, ash has been the go-to material for feel and performance. Companies like Hillerich & Bradsby, maker of the Louisville Slugger, produced hundreds of thousands of ash bats each year.
However, the ash beetle has changed the game. This invasive insect, about the size of a grain of rice, attacks ash trees by laying eggs under the bark. The larvae then feed on the tree’s vital nutrients, killing it. Since arriving in the United States in 2002, the ash beetle has spread rapidly, leaving a trail of dead and dying ash trees in its wake.
The impact on baseball was rapid. Finding quality ash lumber is becoming increasingly difficult. Companies like Hillerich & Bradsby have had to adapt, now producing mostly low-end ash bats for casual 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 can control the emerald ash borer, it could take generations for ash trees to recover. While other woods, such as birch, are being explored, they have yet to capture the hearts (or ears) of players.
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.