Dirty Baseballs

The concern first surfaced in a Baseball Game in 1920 from what I have determined. A pitcher through his baseball over the home plate, but he lost control with a slippery new ball – and it hit the batter on the head and killed him. A tragedy to say the least to have a “wild ball” kill some one.

It was shortly after that Lena Blackburne developed the Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud. It was a special mud retrieved from a section of the Delaware River running through New Jersey. In fact it is a secret even today.

It seems that Pitchers had tried to use shoe polish and chewing tobacco juice to get the smooth surface off the new ball. The smooth surface being the problem with a wild pitch.

Everyone has used the Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud since that time.

However a young bat boy, Cameron Kruse, that was doing the rubbing of the newly mudded balls to prepare them for the pitcher, dreamed up a new invention. You can see him and his invention work by clicking on the YouTube connection below. An Amazing Guy!

The whole story points me to the thought that I have wondered about over these years. The hidden secrets of a better way are just under my nose. With a little thought I will find them – but when I am too busy I will never do much more than complain.

I need to take time to see how I might find a different way to do it.

This is so true when you are wood carving. The old way may not be the best way. In one kind of carving that first took me almost three days to do – I now have it down to six hours. It looks like it takes three days – but my price proves it is six hours…. Mind you – if I can find some one that will pay for a three day job I will up the price….

My dad said to me many times, “Murray, don’t be afraid to learn something new.” And I believed him. So I live that way. It was the best advice that he ever gave me.

Now if you look at the Invention that Cameron Kruse made, it is made from Lego. Go figure! The kid played with Lego and now likely will be a Millionaire soon. He kind of looks like Bill Gates come to think of it.

Cameron Kruse pointed out a new thought as well. A well rubbed and “dirty” baseball is hard to see coming at you at 97 MPH. A clean white ball is easier to hit.

I remember pitching a long time ago. Everyone wanted me to use the new ball then – because they could see it better. But when I threw it I often hit the batter. I knew then that something was wrong but had no idea how to fix it. The old ball that had hit the ground and the water spots on the field always worked better.

Why didn’t I invent it? Well for one thing we didn’t have Lego… and I am not really as sharp as Cameron Kruse.

Now today I have a problem… hmmmm?

~ Murray Lincoln ~
(PS – I never mentioned Mortgage once… but I still hate debt…)

Sources…
YouTube of new Invention by Cameron Kruse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUEy8cFKHMQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur9QNW5pcNY
Dirt on Baseball
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1018/p18s02-hfks.html?s=widep