Hand Made 1860 Base Balls
Wendel Dickason
Sec. 1. The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more
than six ounces avoirdupois. It must measure not less than nine and three-
fourths, nor more than ten inches in circumference. It must be composed of
india-rubber and yarn, and covered with leather, and, in all match games,
shall be furnished by the challenging club, and become the property of the
winning club, as a trophy of victory.
(From Beadles Dime Base Ball Player
Edited by Henry Chadwick)
For some time, I had wanted to make my own base balls, partly because of
the expense (and the fact that my club had no treasury), but perhaps more so
now because when I put on demonstrations or "show and tells", I’ve found
that our visitors are more impressed with the hand made balls, especially
when I have a few on display that are "under construction".
Once I had a few dozen of my own under my belt, I got the size, weight and
techniques down pat and got to where I could turn out a new ball from
scratch in well under two hours. In fact, I usually do this now while sitting
in front of the TV watching Texas Rangers baseball, sometimes cranking out
two balls during a game.
As my inventory increased, I started to use some of the home-made balls as
gifts and incentives to some folks who had shown an interest in the old game
and for those who are thinking of forming a team. I also give them to new
clubs that lack the funds to purchase the piles of baseballs they'll be needing
for practice. Down the road, I plan to sell them at games and events as
souvenirs to help finance the program.
This article should not be seen as a set of inviolate instructions, but simply a
guide and hints based on my experience with the craft. There will be a
number of things that folks might want to change when it comes to their
own projects, and except for the specifics laid down in the rules and
regulations, just about everything else is up to the individual. This is, after
all, more art than science!
_______________________________________________________________________________
"It must measure not less than nine and three-fourths, nor more than ten
inches in circumference.”
To create my own pattern for the ball cover, I cheated a bit and scanned one
I had removed from a commercially available vintage base ball. However, I
did find that I had to make a few minor adjustments to the dimensions of
the petals because the original had been stretched out when it was sewn on.
Anyway, I printed the 9 1/2" inch template on card stock and cut it out.
I use this template to trace out the pattern onto a piece of leather. I'll have
more to say about picking out the right leather further on. You might notice
that the distance between points of the lemon peel is slightly smaller than
what the rules call for. That's because when the cover is stitched on, it must
be stretched to provide a smooth and firm surface.
I cut the leather "lemon peel" out with a decent pair of scissors and then use
a thonging chisel to punch the stitching holes. Originally, I put holes in the
template to mark where the stitches were to go and then used a hand-held
hole puncher, but discussions with other ballists convinced me that the
chisel was better. You might notice that my chisel is "missing a finger". I
bent the last tine up because having four in a row causes some problems
along the curved sections of the petals. I'm sure chisels are available in the
three tine models...they just didn't have one the day I bought mine.
I punch the holes about 1/8" from the edge of the petals. This seems to
work well with the leather I am currently using. There is no rule specifying
how many stitches are to be on a vintage ball, nor is there anything regarding
the distance between them. The thonging chisel I use has tines or forks that
are 3/32" apart. Some other ball makers use 1/8" chisels. It's not really
important which size is used as both will work just fine to keep the hide on
the ball.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more than six
ounces avoirdupois. It must be composed of india rubber and yarn, and
covered with leather..."
Once I found out that avoirdupois simply refers to the measuring system we
use (as opposed to the Metric system) I was good to go. The important thing
is to get the right balance between the weight of the hide, the stitching and
the materials on the inside of the ball.
My "pill" is a 3oz. "bouncy ball" with rubber bands wrapped around it that
raise the weight to 3 3/4oz. I haven't found any reference by Chadwick
regarding the size or weight of the cores of the 1860 balls but other
references indicate many were about 2 1/2oz. and were very commonly
made from strips of India rubber, often cut from old rain boots. There is
even documentation of some home made balls using a Sturgeon eye! So I
suppose that a rubber band wrapped Super Ball ain't so bad.
Chadwick did, however, say that the preferred yarn was wool, and that was
because it helped the ball keep its shape better when hit and fielded. In the
beginning, I used woolen yarn for the entire ball, but I have to admit that
keeping the required pressure on while wrapping it put a lot of strain on my
hands and fingers. So now I use cotton yarn for the greater part of the
core. It doesn't stretch but it still provides for a solid ball.
However, Chadwick did have a good point about the wool yarn helping keep
the ball round after being hit, and I also found that it was easier on the
hands when caught. So I now use the cotton yarn to make a ball about 3" in
diameter and then add about another 1/8" of woolen yarn on the outside.
Before I add the wool, I measure the ball by fitting it through the middle of a
roll of masking tape. (That's just a little cheat that I use). Also before adding
the woolen layers, I smear Elmer's Glue all over the ball. The glue helps keep
the outer layers of the cotton yarn from slipping or dislodging when the ball
is struck repeatedly.
After the glue sets up, I wrap the woolen yarn around the ball, followed by a
few dozen wraps of crochet yarn. I don't pull the woolen yarn too tightly
because I want it to have a little give when I stretch the cover around it. The
crochet yarn helps keep the woolen yarn from slipping. To finish, I then
apply a few drops of Elmer's Glue to the outside for just a bit more structural
integrity. I let this glue dry before I begin to cover the ball.
______________________________________________________________________________
Now a few more hints about the wrapping: To start, I just hold the end of
the yarn with my thumb, and after I’ve made a couple revolutions, it will
hold itself. It is very important when wrapping the yarn to turn or twist the
ball slightly with each wrap to avoid building up too many layers in one
"latitude", otherwise you wind up with a hockey puck. After about a dozen
revolutions, the yarn should appear to be wrapped in every direction.
It’s also important to avoid too many crossovers at the same point to avoid
"peaks". However, it’s also possible to have low or flat areas formed by not
having the yarn cross over them enough, and so crossing over there a few
extra times can help to build up and level those areas.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Regarding the leather and stitching materials:
There is a Tandy Leather company store in Fort Worth about twenty miles
from my house, so that makes my leather acquisition fairly easy. I’ve found
that most craft stores have leather that can be used for purses and holsters
but not the relatively thin and elastic hide needed for a baseball. It’s also
nice to be able to go somewhere that I can feel and "play" with it before
buying as opposed to ordering it from a catalog or online. This "playing"
involves bringing my hole puncher, a needle and some stitching to test
whether or not the leather will tear when I begin to sew my covers on. When
I find a piece that seems to meet my needs, the local store personnel allow
me to punch a few small holes in the edges of the leather. If I can run the
stitching through the hole and tug with the same pressure I'll be using to
make the base balls and not have it rip out, I'll buy it.
The color of the leather is not a big issue. Balls of the mid 1800s were seen
in a variety of hues, ranging from almost white to dark brown. Some players
preferred the darker ones because fly balls could be better seen against the
sky, while others liked the lighter balls that stood out from the landscape or
tree line.
Because I buy off the bulk rack, it is almost impossible to find an exact
match for whatever color I bought the last time so I just concern myself with
the thickness and pliability of whatever I find that’s close to the shade I
want.
For the stitching, I usually use what is called artificial sinew.
This is something used by historical reenactors and others for sewing
primitive leather goods like black powder shooting bags and rifle covers, but
I find that it’s a good choice for base ball stitching as well. It’s ‘waxed’,
which makes it easier to sew with and the natural looking sinew makes the
balls appear even more rustic. But I also use the standard stitching material
on many of the balls I produce. Sometimes, the choice is based on the color
of the leather and what looks best and other times, it's just for the variety.
One thing I do is stamp my balls with the team or league emblem. I use an
archival ink designed for leather (among other things) and apply the stamp in
the center of the petal while it's still flat (It's next to impossible to stamp a
round ball!) When creating a stamp, it must be remembered that the texture
or grain of the leather might make very small lettering and details hard to
print. Rubber stamps also provide another opportunity, and that is to be
able to use the leather scraps and leftovers for book marks and other
"souvenirs".
Applying the cover
I will tack two opposite petal ends together with a temporary knot and force
the yarn ball into the leather "tube". It should be tight but not so tight that I
risk tearing out the crossover stitch holes. I then pull the other two ends
together (bringing all four points together) and tie them. After that, I locate
adjoining stitch holes in each seam about half way up from the bottom and
temporarily tack them together with short pieces of the sinew. This pretty
much stretches the hide all the way around its equator. Then it’s time to
start the final stitching.
I start with a piece of the sinew about five feet long with a pair of two inch
long tapestry needles at the ends of the stitching.
To put it simply, stitching a baseball is a lot like lacing shoes.
I pick a seam and shove the needle into one bottom hole and out of the other
one and pull the sinew through. I pull the ends even and then take one of
the needles and run it into the seam and out of the next hole up on the
opposite side. I do the same with the other end and then pull the stitching
snug.
I repeat the process over and over, working my way up the side of the ball.
To be sure the previous stitches remain tight, I might use my thumb to hold
pressure on the lower stitches, but I often have to pause and gently pull the
sinew to tighten the previous ones. When I reach the temporary ties used to
bring the seams together, I just cut them off and proceed with the stitching.
There are different techniques used when reaching the crossover point, but
the way I do it when my stitching reaches the top is to cut the temporary
ties I used to bring the ends together and then, instead of running the needle
into the seam and out of the opposite hole, I go over the top and down into
the adjacent hole and come back through and out of the hole I came from,
and then do this with the other one. This helps me to bring the points
together tightly. I then go over the top again, back down into the opposite
hole, and then under the seam and out of the next hole on the opposite side.
Of course this gives me a little thicker stitching at the crossing point, but if
pulled tightly enough or pressed down when done, it is not a problem.
I finish stitching down the other side of the ball, and when I come to the
end, I make sure the seam is completely closed and all the stitching is tight
and I then run the needle back up into the seam so that it emerges from the
seam about an inch or so back up. I pull the stitching tight and push the
needle back into the seam so that it emerges once again farther up the seam.
I can then cut it the sinew off flush with the surface of the ball. The
tightness of the cover is what holds it fast and will not let it slip back and
loosen.
_______________________________________________________________________________
One final tip
Care must be taken to avoid pulling too hard and busting out the holes in the
leather, though the stuff is pretty resilient and it’s a little harder to tear than
one might imagine. One way I’ve learned to avoid tearing out the hole is to
pull in the direction of the seam and not across it. This keeps pressure off
the thinnest part of the leather.
_______________________________________________________________________________
"A glorious lack of sophistication"
Because they lack the quality control of commercially made balls, ones made
by hand might appear a bit on the crude side, but a better term might be
"rustic". If a ball is a little out of round when finished it can be fixed by
whacking it on a hard surface. Of course, even if the ball starts out perfectly
symmetrical, it will not stay that way after being hit a few times and that
applies to the $15 and $20 balls too. But that’s the nature of our game.
Download and save the pattern for the 1860 base ball hide here.
It might help to print out a couple draft copies to be sure the pattern
measures exactly 9 ½ inches from point to point. The shaded background
should be just a little over 7 inches wide and tall. Then print it on card
stock.
Wendel Dickason
Sec. 1. The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more
than six ounces avoirdupois. It must measure not less than nine and three-
fourths, nor more than ten inches in circumference. It must be composed of
india-rubber and yarn, and covered with leather, and, in all match games,
shall be furnished by the challenging club, and become the property of the
winning club, as a trophy of victory.
(From Beadles Dime Base Ball Player
Edited by Henry Chadwick)
For some time, I had wanted to make my own base balls, partly because of
the expense (and the fact that my club had no treasury), but perhaps more so
now because when I put on demonstrations or "show and tells", I’ve found
that our visitors are more impressed with the hand made balls, especially
when I have a few on display that are "under construction".
Once I had a few dozen of my own under my belt, I got the size, weight and
techniques down pat and got to where I could turn out a new ball from
scratch in well under two hours. In fact, I usually do this now while sitting
in front of the TV watching Texas Rangers baseball, sometimes cranking out
two balls during a game.
As my inventory increased, I started to use some of the home-made balls as
gifts and incentives to some folks who had shown an interest in the old game
and for those who are thinking of forming a team. I also give them to new
clubs that lack the funds to purchase the piles of baseballs they'll be needing
for practice. Down the road, I plan to sell them at games and events as
souvenirs to help finance the program.
This article should not be seen as a set of inviolate instructions, but simply a
guide and hints based on my experience with the craft. There will be a
number of things that folks might want to change when it comes to their
own projects, and except for the specifics laid down in the rules and
regulations, just about everything else is up to the individual. This is, after
all, more art than science!
_______________________________________________________________________________
"It must measure not less than nine and three-fourths, nor more than ten
inches in circumference.”
To create my own pattern for the ball cover, I cheated a bit and scanned one
I had removed from a commercially available vintage base ball. However, I
did find that I had to make a few minor adjustments to the dimensions of
the petals because the original had been stretched out when it was sewn on.
Anyway, I printed the 9 1/2" inch template on card stock and cut it out.
I use this template to trace out the pattern onto a piece of leather. I'll have
more to say about picking out the right leather further on. You might notice
that the distance between points of the lemon peel is slightly smaller than
what the rules call for. That's because when the cover is stitched on, it must
be stretched to provide a smooth and firm surface.
I cut the leather "lemon peel" out with a decent pair of scissors and then use
a thonging chisel to punch the stitching holes. Originally, I put holes in the
template to mark where the stitches were to go and then used a hand-held
hole puncher, but discussions with other ballists convinced me that the
chisel was better. You might notice that my chisel is "missing a finger". I
bent the last tine up because having four in a row causes some problems
along the curved sections of the petals. I'm sure chisels are available in the
three tine models...they just didn't have one the day I bought mine.
I punch the holes about 1/8" from the edge of the petals. This seems to
work well with the leather I am currently using. There is no rule specifying
how many stitches are to be on a vintage ball, nor is there anything regarding
the distance between them. The thonging chisel I use has tines or forks that
are 3/32" apart. Some other ball makers use 1/8" chisels. It's not really
important which size is used as both will work just fine to keep the hide on
the ball.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"The ball must weigh not less than five and three-fourths, nor more than six
ounces avoirdupois. It must be composed of india rubber and yarn, and
covered with leather..."
Once I found out that avoirdupois simply refers to the measuring system we
use (as opposed to the Metric system) I was good to go. The important thing
is to get the right balance between the weight of the hide, the stitching and
the materials on the inside of the ball.
My "pill" is a 3oz. "bouncy ball" with rubber bands wrapped around it that
raise the weight to 3 3/4oz. I haven't found any reference by Chadwick
regarding the size or weight of the cores of the 1860 balls but other
references indicate many were about 2 1/2oz. and were very commonly
made from strips of India rubber, often cut from old rain boots. There is
even documentation of some home made balls using a Sturgeon eye! So I
suppose that a rubber band wrapped Super Ball ain't so bad.
Chadwick did, however, say that the preferred yarn was wool, and that was
because it helped the ball keep its shape better when hit and fielded. In the
beginning, I used woolen yarn for the entire ball, but I have to admit that
keeping the required pressure on while wrapping it put a lot of strain on my
hands and fingers. So now I use cotton yarn for the greater part of the
core. It doesn't stretch but it still provides for a solid ball.
However, Chadwick did have a good point about the wool yarn helping keep
the ball round after being hit, and I also found that it was easier on the
hands when caught. So I now use the cotton yarn to make a ball about 3" in
diameter and then add about another 1/8" of woolen yarn on the outside.
Before I add the wool, I measure the ball by fitting it through the middle of a
roll of masking tape. (That's just a little cheat that I use). Also before adding
the woolen layers, I smear Elmer's Glue all over the ball. The glue helps keep
the outer layers of the cotton yarn from slipping or dislodging when the ball
is struck repeatedly.
After the glue sets up, I wrap the woolen yarn around the ball, followed by a
few dozen wraps of crochet yarn. I don't pull the woolen yarn too tightly
because I want it to have a little give when I stretch the cover around it. The
crochet yarn helps keep the woolen yarn from slipping. To finish, I then
apply a few drops of Elmer's Glue to the outside for just a bit more structural
integrity. I let this glue dry before I begin to cover the ball.
______________________________________________________________________________
Now a few more hints about the wrapping: To start, I just hold the end of
the yarn with my thumb, and after I’ve made a couple revolutions, it will
hold itself. It is very important when wrapping the yarn to turn or twist the
ball slightly with each wrap to avoid building up too many layers in one
"latitude", otherwise you wind up with a hockey puck. After about a dozen
revolutions, the yarn should appear to be wrapped in every direction.
It’s also important to avoid too many crossovers at the same point to avoid
"peaks". However, it’s also possible to have low or flat areas formed by not
having the yarn cross over them enough, and so crossing over there a few
extra times can help to build up and level those areas.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Regarding the leather and stitching materials:
There is a Tandy Leather company store in Fort Worth about twenty miles
from my house, so that makes my leather acquisition fairly easy. I’ve found
that most craft stores have leather that can be used for purses and holsters
but not the relatively thin and elastic hide needed for a baseball. It’s also
nice to be able to go somewhere that I can feel and "play" with it before
buying as opposed to ordering it from a catalog or online. This "playing"
involves bringing my hole puncher, a needle and some stitching to test
whether or not the leather will tear when I begin to sew my covers on. When
I find a piece that seems to meet my needs, the local store personnel allow
me to punch a few small holes in the edges of the leather. If I can run the
stitching through the hole and tug with the same pressure I'll be using to
make the base balls and not have it rip out, I'll buy it.
The color of the leather is not a big issue. Balls of the mid 1800s were seen
in a variety of hues, ranging from almost white to dark brown. Some players
preferred the darker ones because fly balls could be better seen against the
sky, while others liked the lighter balls that stood out from the landscape or
tree line.
Because I buy off the bulk rack, it is almost impossible to find an exact
match for whatever color I bought the last time so I just concern myself with
the thickness and pliability of whatever I find that’s close to the shade I
want.
For the stitching, I usually use what is called artificial sinew.
This is something used by historical reenactors and others for sewing
primitive leather goods like black powder shooting bags and rifle covers, but
I find that it’s a good choice for base ball stitching as well. It’s ‘waxed’,
which makes it easier to sew with and the natural looking sinew makes the
balls appear even more rustic. But I also use the standard stitching material
on many of the balls I produce. Sometimes, the choice is based on the color
of the leather and what looks best and other times, it's just for the variety.
One thing I do is stamp my balls with the team or league emblem. I use an
archival ink designed for leather (among other things) and apply the stamp in
the center of the petal while it's still flat (It's next to impossible to stamp a
round ball!) When creating a stamp, it must be remembered that the texture
or grain of the leather might make very small lettering and details hard to
print. Rubber stamps also provide another opportunity, and that is to be
able to use the leather scraps and leftovers for book marks and other
"souvenirs".
Applying the cover
I will tack two opposite petal ends together with a temporary knot and force
the yarn ball into the leather "tube". It should be tight but not so tight that I
risk tearing out the crossover stitch holes. I then pull the other two ends
together (bringing all four points together) and tie them. After that, I locate
adjoining stitch holes in each seam about half way up from the bottom and
temporarily tack them together with short pieces of the sinew. This pretty
much stretches the hide all the way around its equator. Then it’s time to
start the final stitching.
I start with a piece of the sinew about five feet long with a pair of two inch
long tapestry needles at the ends of the stitching.
To put it simply, stitching a baseball is a lot like lacing shoes.
I pick a seam and shove the needle into one bottom hole and out of the other
one and pull the sinew through. I pull the ends even and then take one of
the needles and run it into the seam and out of the next hole up on the
opposite side. I do the same with the other end and then pull the stitching
snug.
I repeat the process over and over, working my way up the side of the ball.
To be sure the previous stitches remain tight, I might use my thumb to hold
pressure on the lower stitches, but I often have to pause and gently pull the
sinew to tighten the previous ones. When I reach the temporary ties used to
bring the seams together, I just cut them off and proceed with the stitching.
There are different techniques used when reaching the crossover point, but
the way I do it when my stitching reaches the top is to cut the temporary
ties I used to bring the ends together and then, instead of running the needle
into the seam and out of the opposite hole, I go over the top and down into
the adjacent hole and come back through and out of the hole I came from,
and then do this with the other one. This helps me to bring the points
together tightly. I then go over the top again, back down into the opposite
hole, and then under the seam and out of the next hole on the opposite side.
Of course this gives me a little thicker stitching at the crossing point, but if
pulled tightly enough or pressed down when done, it is not a problem.
I finish stitching down the other side of the ball, and when I come to the
end, I make sure the seam is completely closed and all the stitching is tight
and I then run the needle back up into the seam so that it emerges from the
seam about an inch or so back up. I pull the stitching tight and push the
needle back into the seam so that it emerges once again farther up the seam.
I can then cut it the sinew off flush with the surface of the ball. The
tightness of the cover is what holds it fast and will not let it slip back and
loosen.
_______________________________________________________________________________
One final tip
Care must be taken to avoid pulling too hard and busting out the holes in the
leather, though the stuff is pretty resilient and it’s a little harder to tear than
one might imagine. One way I’ve learned to avoid tearing out the hole is to
pull in the direction of the seam and not across it. This keeps pressure off
the thinnest part of the leather.
_______________________________________________________________________________
"A glorious lack of sophistication"
Because they lack the quality control of commercially made balls, ones made
by hand might appear a bit on the crude side, but a better term might be
"rustic". If a ball is a little out of round when finished it can be fixed by
whacking it on a hard surface. Of course, even if the ball starts out perfectly
symmetrical, it will not stay that way after being hit a few times and that
applies to the $15 and $20 balls too. But that’s the nature of our game.
Download and save the pattern for the 1860 base ball hide here.
It might help to print out a couple draft copies to be sure the pattern
measures exactly 9 ½ inches from point to point. The shaded background
should be just a little over 7 inches wide and tall. Then print it on card
stock.
