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57-820: In 1919 , they joined the Intercounty Baseball League , and underwent a series of name changes (the Guelph-Waterloo Royals in 1954 ; the Guelph Plymouths in 1957 ; the Guelph Merchants in 1958 ; the Guelph Royals in 1962 ; the Guelph CJOYs in 1964 ) before being officially renamed the "Royals". From 1861 to 1925 , the team divided its home games between various ballparks in the city, before

114-422: A century. In 1910, the cork-core ball was introduced. They outlasted rubber core baseballs; and for the first few years they were used, balls were hit further and faster than rubber core balls. Pitchers adapted with the use of the spitball , which is now illegal, and an emphasis on changing the ball. In 1920, a couple of important changes were made to baseballs. They began to be made using machine winders and

171-405: A higher grade of yarn from Australia . Offensive statistics rose immediately, and players and fans alike believed the new balls helped batters hit the ball further. In 1925, Milton Reach patented his "cushion cork" center. It was a cork core surrounded by black rubber, then another layer of red rubber. In 1934, The National League and American League came to a compromise and standardized

228-492: A league title since 2004". The team folded in 2017 but was re-started under new owners in 2018. In 1861, baseball enthusiast A. S. Feast moved from Hamilton, Ontario to Guelph , and – being a professed fan of the Hamilton Maple Leafs, whose name was derived from the nascent national symbol – founded a new, semi-professional club, the "Guelph Maple Leafs", in order to take advantage of the high popularity of

285-517: A lower stitching seam profile had most likely led to the increase in home runs, but also pledged to consider studying the issue. On February 5, 2021, MLB issued a memo that said that Rawlings had altered their manufacturing process to reduce the bounce in the balls and that after extensive testing, "... we are comfortable that these baseballs meet all of our performance specifications." The same memo also noted that more teams had applied for permission to use humidors to store their baseballs. As of 2020 only

342-745: A negligible portion of a modern MLB team's operating budget. Recreational-grade baseballs can be purchased by the public for an even lower unit price. Once discarded by the umpire, game-used baseballs not hit into the stands are collected by batboys . Many baseballs involved in historical plays are displayed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown , New York . Other baseballs associated with noteworthy in-game events are often authenticated and sold as memorabilia . Most such sales today are conducted on MLB's official website. The total proceeds from such sales represent

399-790: A new board of officers, won the semi-pro championship of Canada – when the Inter-County League was established. Guelph beat Galt for the Inter-County title the first three years of the new league then had the roles reversed the next three. All told, Royal City teams won four league titles and were runners-up six times before the Second World War. In 1932, the Guelph Maple Leafs won the Ontario Baseball Association senior title. It

456-402: A regulation baseball. That stitching plays a significant role in the trajectory of a thrown baseball due to the drag caused by the interaction between the stitching and the air. Controlling the orientation of the stitches and the speed of the ball's rotation allows a pitcher to affect the behavior of the pitched ball in specific ways. Commonly employed pitches include the curveball , the slider ,

513-400: A rival to the increasingly dominant National League. The Maple Leafs' first season of play, however, was less than successful, as they went 4-12, second lowest in the league only to the subsequently disbanded Lynn Live Oaks, and at cessation withdrew from it. The London Tecumsehs played on for the following season, but closed their doors at its conclusion in 1878, citing a shortage of funds. In

570-493: A significant portion of the total purchase cost of baseballs since even balls used for relatively minor accomplishments can each fetch hundreds or thousands of dollars. In 1909, sports magnate and former player Alfred J. Reach patented the ivory centered "ivory nut" in Panama and suggested it might be even better in a baseball than cork. However, Philadelphia Athletics president Benjamin F. Shibe , who had invented and patented

627-414: A unit price which would be equal to $ 110 today. Due to their high relative cost, club owners in the early 20th century were reluctant to spend much money on new balls if not necessary. It was not unusual for a single baseball to last an entire game, nor for a baseball to be reused for the next game especially if it was still in relatively good condition as would likely be the case for a ball introduced late in

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684-699: A world semi-professional championship being hosted in Watertown, New York , and – thinking the Maple Leafs had a shot – began readying the team. His hopes were validated later that year when a virtuoso performance by pitcher William Smith led the Maple Leafs to three straight victories over some of the best clubs in North America, including a 13-4 trouncing of a Ku Klux Klan team from Oneida, New York . Guelph's victory in this tournament bolstered their international reputation considerably, and may represent

741-484: Is generally true for all baseballs. Teams often used this knowledge to their advantage, as players from the team usually manufactured their own baseballs to use in games. There is no agreement on who invented the commonplace figure-8 stitching on baseballs. Some historians say it was invented by Ellis Drake, a shoemaker's son, to make the cover stronger and more durable. Others say it was invented by Colonel William A. Cutler and sold to William Harwood in 1858. Harwood built

798-409: Is obtained from a particular type of tropical tree . Hitting declined significantly that year. The introduction of synthetic rubber in 1944 resulted in baseballs returning to normal. Offense would return to normal after the change back to the regular ball and return of players from active duty. In 1974 , due to a shortage of the material, horsehide was replaced by the more abundant cowhide as

855-605: Is very dangerous to throw because it is so slick and hard. By rule, balls used in the professional game must be rubbed with a mud known as "rubbing mud" , which is typically applied either by the umpires or someone working under their supervision before each game, and is intended to help the pitcher's grip. Because the mud discolors the ball, many fans prefer to purchase non-game-used balls for purposes such as collecting autographs, etc. In contrast, recreational-grade baseballs are designed so as not to require any special preparation before being used. Three common forms of baseball exist:

912-544: The Arizona Diamondbacks , Boston Red Sox , Colorado Rockies , and Seattle Mariners , were using the devices. Cushioned wood cores were patented in the late 19th century by sports equipment manufacturer Spalding , the company founded by former baseball star A.G. Spalding . In recent years, various synthetic materials have been used to create baseballs; however, they are generally considered lower quality, stitched with two red thick thread, and are not used in

969-560: The Pine Tar Incident in the 1980s was one famous incident triggered by a capricious enforcement of an obscure one. Today, MLB teams are required to have a minimum of 156 baseballs ready for use in each game. When combined with baseballs needed for practice, etc. each MLB team uses tens of thousands of balls every season. However, modern professional-grade baseballs purchased in bulk as is the case with professional teams only cost about seven dollars each as of 2024 and thus make up

1026-633: The St. Louis Brown Stockings – a successful team in the upstart National League , and the antecedents of the modern-day St. Louis Cardinals – travelled to Guelph to play an exhibition match, and were defeated resoundingly. The club's lack of a competitive league to play in was resolved in 1877, when they, along with the London Tecumsehs, both joined the semi-professional International Association for Professional Base Ball Players , which featured both American and Canadian teams, and positioned itself as

1083-493: The major leagues . Using different types of materials affects the performance of the baseball. Generally a tighter-wound baseball will leave the bat faster, and fly further. Since the baseballs used today are wound tighter than in previous years, notably the dead-ball era that prevailed through 1920, people often say the ball is " juiced " . The height of the seams also affects how well a pitcher can pitch. Baseballs used in MLB and

1140-444: The two-seam fastball , the four-seam fastball , the sinker , the cutter and the changeup . In the early, mid-1800s days of baseball , there was a great variety in the size, shape, weight, and manufacturing of baseballs. Early baseballs were made with a rubber core from old, melted shoes, wrapped in yarn and leather. Fish eyes were also used as cores in some places. Pitchers usually made their own balls, which were used throughout

1197-592: The 1880s, the Maple Leafs continued to play at a high level locally, but increased player salaries, coupled with the club's lack of a strong league affiliation, meant baseball in Guelph had begun to flounder. Worsening matters was the team's releasing of key prospect Bud Fowler – a marquee pitcher, and the first ever African-American to play professionally – to the Petrolia Imperials, due to racial discomfort, as well as George Sleeman's lessened involvement in

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1254-400: The 1920 death of batter Ray Chapman after being hit in the head by a pitch, perhaps due to his difficulty in seeing the ball during twilight, an effort was made to replace dirty or worn baseballs. However, even though scores of new balls are used nowadays in every game, some rules intended solely to reduce the frequency (and associated expense) of replacing balls during a game remain in force -

1311-517: The Boston Red Stockings at the time they competed against the Maple Leafs – in his short story published in 1920 , "The Winning Ball", in which Guelph defeats a professional team from Rochester in spite of the opposing team's use of the "rabbit", a baseball made when a friend of the manager 's "removed the covers from a number of league balls and sewed them on rubber balls of his own making". In 1874, George Sleeman received word of

1368-488: The Guelph Royals won the 1993 championship. The Royals also won the 1997 Inter-County title and lost in the league final on two other occasions, including an infamous ninth-inning collapse that gave the Stratford Hillers the 1994 crown. A number of Guelph players have gone on to the pro ranks during the city's history. As of 2015, three Guelphites were playing professionally. Jeremy Ware spent seven seasons in

1425-553: The Montreal Expos organization before moving to the Cleveland Indians earlier this year while Shawn Pearson (Toronto Blue Jays) and Jamie Pogue (St. Louis Cardinals) are also playing in the minor leagues. Notable players are Mark Shepherd. Shepherd who was a promising left handed power hitter from Oakville. Other notable achievements. Chris Robinson, catcher for Morehead State University, who played two seasons with

1482-464: The National League president's signature in black ink. Bob Feller stated that when he was a rookie in the 1930s, National League baseball laces were black, intertwined with red; American League baseball laces were blue and red. In 2000, Major League Baseball reorganized its structure to eliminate the position of league presidents, and switched to one ball specification for both leagues. Under

1539-571: The Royals, was named to the NCAA DI, First Team All American team in 2015. In the 2017 season, Guelph was 1-15 after 16 games and they pulled out for the rest of the season The club subsequently folded but was re-started under a new owner, Shawn Fuller and Guelph mayor Cam Guthrie in September 2017. Former owner Jim Rooney was unable to attend the press conference. Fuller said that he would give up

1596-501: The attention of George Sleeman , local owner of Silver Creek Brewery, who purchased the team then merged it with one he already owned, the Silver Creek Baseball Club, and began funding the aggressive acquisition of American players, including Pete Gillespie , Scott Hastings , and a new pitcher , William Smith. The Maple Leafs' high-profile acquisitions represented a first for Canadian baseball, and other clubs in

1653-557: The baseball. They agreed on a cushion cork center; two wrappings of yarn; a special rubber cement coating; two more wrappings of yarn; and, finally, a horsehide cover. Baseballs have gone through only a few small changes since the compromise. During World War II , the United States banned the use of rubber for non war-related goods, including for baseballs. So in 1943 , instead of using rubber, baseballs were made with rubber-like shells of balata (also used in golf balls), which

1710-416: The baseball. They decided to regulate the weight of baseballs at 5 1 ⁄ 2 –6 oz, and with a circumference of 8–11 inches. There were still many variations of baseballs since they were completely handmade . Balls with more rubber and a tighter winding went further and faster (known as "live balls"), and balls with less rubber and a looser winding (known as "dead balls") did not travel as far or fast. This

1767-424: The club's affairs due to the relinquishing of his business assets to his son. In 1886, a promising Maple Leafs team – featuring the likes of Lou Bierbauer , George Bradley , Mike Jones and Ed Kent – lost money, and was placed on hiatus. After an extended lull, the Maple Leafs regained their footing in 1896, when a new-look team featuring third baseman Jim Cockman and right fielder Bunk Congalton finished

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1824-484: The construction of a stadium in Exhibition Park led them to permanently play there. In 1986 , they moved into a new stadium, David E. Hastings Stadium , also in Exhibition Park. In spite of only winning one Intercounty championship between 1932 and 1993 , the team has done well in some subsequent years. However, a May 2018 news item stated that "the Royals haven’t been above .500 since 2012 and haven't won

1881-498: The continued use of hand-made balls. The raw materials are imported from the United States, assembled into baseballs and shipped back. Throughout the 20th Century, Major League Baseball used two technically identical but differently marked balls. The American League had "Official American League" and the American League's president's signature in blue ink, while National League baseballs had "Official National League" and

1938-500: The cork centered ball, commented, "I look for the leagues to adopt an 'ivory nut' baseball just as soon as they adopt a ferro-concrete bat and a base studded with steel spikes ." Both leagues adopted Shibe's cork-centered ball in 1910. The official major league ball is made by Rawlings , which produces the stitched balls in Costa Rica . Attempts to automate the manufacturing process were never entirely successful, leading to

1995-421: The cover material. In 1976 , MLB ended its relationship with Spalding for manufacturing their baseballs and switched to Rawlings , which still provides the balls to MLB today. A significant increase in the number of home runs since the start of the 2016 baseball season caused MLB officials to establish a committee that would examine the manufacturing process. In December 2019, MLB officials said that

2052-401: The current rules, a major league baseball weighs between 5 and 5 + 1 ⁄ 4 ounces (142 and 149 g), and is 9 to 9 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (229–235 mm) in circumference ( 2 + 7 ⁄ 8 –3 in or 73–76 mm in diameter). There are 108 double stitches on a baseball, or 216 individual stitches. While the decision whether to discard a baseball is formally at

2109-411: The discretion of the home plate umpire, today baseballs are expected to be immediately replaced after even minor scratches, discoloration and undesirable texture that can occur during the game. Balls used for pre-game warm-ups are often given to fans. Because baseballs are almost always replaced after each half-inning it is increasingly customary for players to give balls used to end half-innings to fans in

2166-590: The foremost Canadian baseball club. On May 24, 1876, in front of 6,000 fans in London , the London Tecumsehs finally succeeded in defeating the Maple Leafs 8-7 in ten innings for the Canadian championship, largely owing to Fred Goldsmith's "scientific pitching", which made use of his innovative "skew ball". Later that year, both teams became charter entrants in the Canadian Association of Base Ball, which

2223-429: The front rows, either by handing the ball to a fan (especially a child) in the front row or by gently tossing it into the stands, especially if the player holding it is a home team player close to the stands as for example is often the case for an outfielder catching a fly ball. MLB has long recognized any ball that comes into the possession of a spectator by any lawful means after entering the stands as immediately becoming

2280-438: The game, softening and coming unraveled as the game went on. One of the more popular earlier ball designs was the "lemon peel ball," named after its distinct four lines of stitching design. Lemon peel balls were darker, smaller, and weighed less than other baseballs, prompting them to travel further and bounce higher, causing very high-scoring games. In the mid-1850s, teams in and around New York met in an attempt to standardize

2337-443: The game. Balls hit into the stands were retrieved by team employees in order to be put back in play, as is still done today in some other sports. Over the course of a game, a typical ball would become discolored due to dirt, and often tobacco juice and other materials applied by players; damage would also occur, causing slight rips and seam bursts. This would lower the offense during the games giving pitchers an advantage. However, after

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2394-547: The most promising baseball clubs in Canada, and, in 1865, nearly defeated the Woodstock Young Canadians to win the "Canadian Silver Ball Championship" – a loosely-knit tournament in which Canadian teams of the time participated – losing 36-29 in a tumultuous final wherein Guelph players endured threats of physical violence from the audience. During this time, Maple Leafs games frequently attracted attendance in

2451-586: The nation's first baseball factory in Natick, Massachusetts , and was the first to popularize and mass-produce baseballs with the figure-8 design. In 1876, the National League (NL) was created, and standard rules and regulations were put in place. A.G. Spalding , a well-known baseball pitcher who made his own balls, convinced the NL to adopt his ball as the official baseball for the NL. It remained that way for

2508-558: The non-profit status and run the team as a corporation. The Royals fielded a new team for the 2018 season, including five players imported from the Dominican Republic , including Angel Villalona a former top San Francisco Giants prospect. The Royals were eliminated from the playoffs on 13 August 2018 when they lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs (semi-pro baseball) team. During the 2019 season and 2022 seasons,

2565-440: The property of that spectator, although balls hit out of the park for momentous occasions (record setting, or for personal reasons) are often requested to be returned by the fan who catches or otherwise retrieves it, or donated freely by the fan. Usually, the player will give the fan an autographed bat and/or other autographed items in exchange for the special ball. Without proper preparation, an official professional-grade baseball

2622-507: The region soon followed suit. The Maple Leafs' prestige increased significantly due to victories accumulated by their strengthened roster, and on July 1, 1873, the Boston Red Stockings , defending National Association champions, played an exhibition game in Guelph in front of an audience of over 10,000 and won 27-8. The match is fictionalized by legendary Western writer Zane Grey – whose brother, Reddy Grey , played for

2679-548: The regular-season pennant in 1962 but the Brantford Red Sox went on to take the playoff title. In 1964 the team took the name the Guelph C-Joys, after local AM radio station CJOY . They would later revert to the Guelph Royals. The Guelph C-Joys won back-to-back pennants starting in 1966 but didn't break through to win in the playoffs until 1970. That was the last playoff victory for the local franchise until

2736-468: The season in a reorganized Canadian League with a .667 record. The following three seasons were less successful, as the Maple Leafs consistently ranked between .400 and .500, however, they did manage to acquire several excellent players, including Babe Doty and Joe Kostal . Baseball had its ups and downs until 1919 – the Maple Leafs defeated the St. Louis Browns in an exhibition match in 1876 and in 1894, under

2793-420: The sport in 19th-century Southwestern Ontario . The Maple Leafs began play the summer of that year, and their first game wound up a 27-27 tie against a club from Flamborough, Ontario , as the umpires were unsure whether it would be permissible to continue the game beyond nine innings . Under the guidance of Feast, and helped by the substantial amount of talent in the region, the Maple Leafs soon became one of

2850-512: The sport of baseball . It consists of a rubber or cork center wrapped in yarn and covered with white natural horsehide or cowhide , or a synthetic composite leather. A regulation baseball is 9 to 9.25 inches (229 to 235 mm) in circumference i.e. 2.86 to 2.94 inches (73 to 75 mm) in diameter, with a weight of 5 to 5.25 ounces (0.142 to 0.149 kg). The leather cover is commonly formed from two saddle-shaped pieces stitched together, typically with red-dyed thread. There are 108 stitches on

2907-536: The team was eliminated from the playoffs after losing to the Hamilton Cardinals . 1919 in baseball The following are the baseball events of the year 1919 throughout the world. Chicago White Sox players accused of throwing World Series , resulting in the Black Sox Scandal . Other champions Baseball (ball) A baseball is the ball used in

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2964-650: The thousands, owing partly to a high-profile rivalry with the London Tecumsehs , which had caused a schism in the Southwestern Ontario baseball community. By 1869, the Maple Leafs succeeded in winning the Canadian Silver Ball Championship, and proceeded to do so repeatedly until 1871, when they were granted permanent possession of the coveted Silver Ball Trophy. Their status as Canadian champions quickly attracted

3021-570: The top minor leagues (AAA) are made to the same specifications, but labelled separately. Balls used in the lower minor leagues (up to AA) use slightly different specifications intended to make those balls somewhat more durable, although MLB pitchers on rehab assignments in the minors are usually supplied with major league-grade balls. Generally, in Little League through college leagues, the seams are markedly higher than balls used in professional leagues. Baseballs cost three dollars each in 1900,

3078-422: The zenith of the franchise's success. The mid-late 1870s brought with them new challenges for the Maple Leafs. In 1875, London, England-born entrepreneur and oil refiner Jacob L. Englehart purchased the London Tecumsehs, and their subsequent acquisition of star pitcher and future Chicago White Stocking Fred Goldsmith , along with catcher Phil Powers and fielder Joe Hornung , challenged Guelph's status as

3135-489: Was co-organized by George Sleeman, and played for only a few months before closing. The Maple Leafs' exit from the Canadian Association of Base Ball left them without a formal league to play in, and this, coupled with the necessity of holding membership in one in order to field a competitive professional or semi-professional team in the post- National Association of Professional Base Ball Players era caused them to begin searching aggressively. During this period, in late 1876,

3192-464: Was the Inter-County batting champion in 1928, was the only local player to make the Biltmores. In July of that year, just two months after the league began, it folded. St. Catharines, the top team in the league, started the trend on July 21 and the rest of the teams followed suit the next day. For the next 30 years, Guelph's Inter-County team went through an extended dry spell. The Guelph Royals won

3249-460: Was the only time in Guelph history that happened. Professional baseball came to Guelph in 1911, when a Canadian league was formed by George 'Knotty' Lee. Guelph teams played a total of four seasons. In 1930 Lee brought pro ball back to Guelph with the Biltmores, who played in the Class D Ontario League along with teams from London, St. Thomas, Brantford, Hamilton and St. Catharines. Jim O'Connor, who

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