Why do modern-day sluggers like Aaron Judge or Miguel Sano prefer maple bats over the traditional ash bats swung by Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Harmon Killebrew and others? Why did the surge of broken bats in the early 21st century create a crisis for Major League Baseball and what steps were taken to address the issue?  Are different woods being considered by players and manufacturers?  Why do the forest management challenges of insect outbreaks, disease spread, and climate change pose a problem long-term?
 
These and other questions are answered in this exhaustive examination of the history and future of wooden bats, written for both baseball fans and those interested in trees and wood. For more information on The Baseball Bat: From Trees to the Major Leagues, 19th Century to Today, see https://www.amazon.com/Major-League-Baseball-Century-TodayThe/dp/1476679282
 
STEPHEN M. BRATKOVICH is a retired forester and wood products specialist with the U.S. Forest Service and Dovetail Partners, Inc., in the Twin Cities. He has been an SAF member for nearly 50 years. All author royalties from The Baseball Bat will be donated to non-profit organizations.

I have been happily working as a Forestry Technician with the City of Minnetonka since 2017. My core duties consist of managing Dutch elm disease, oak wilt, and emerald ash borer, along with risk tree assessments, tree plantings, and more. After receiving a M.S. in Forest Resources in 2016 at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, I am happy to be back in Minnesota! I bought my first home in Plymouth, MN in August of 2019, not far from my home town of Chanhassen, MN.

Passion, authenticity, and relationships are my main motivators. I absolutely love travel and adventure, however as of late, I am focused on building up my family and career. I am now positioned in life to get more involved with volunteer and community, therefore I thought Minnesota SAF would be the perfect place to start.