Date: Fri 21-Jul-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

DeMarini-Bat-Column

Full Text:

Tom Wyatt - DeMarini Column

Being involved in slo-pitch softball, I heard about the double wall DeMARINI

bat the second it hit the streets a year ago.

I heard tales of people, not known for hitting home runs, who were hitting the

softball 300 feet.

Like most self-proclaimed athletic feats, I didn't pay these much mind. Not

until last weekend.

It was then, in a softball tournament in Woodbury, where I pitched to hitters

who were using the double wall bat. And being as the bat is ASA approved and

legal in tournament play, I had no choice but to pitch to these hitters.

Did the bat make a noticeable difference?

Without question.

Groundballs shot through the infield before fielders could react. Singles to

the outfield jetted through the gaps turning into extra base hits. But the

most noticeable incident occurred when a bullet was hit right back at me, six

inches to the right of my head. I instinctively threw up my mitt and somehow

caught the ball. But honestly, I never saw it.

In the Newtown league the following day, hitters went to the plate with the

double wall bat. While the bat has been used regularly in the `B' Division

this season, it was the first time that `A' Division hitters were using it.

Nobody took my head off this time, but marginal hitters were hitting balls

like never before.

Having fielded strong opinions from both sides, on the use of the bat, I

decided to call the inventor, Ray DeMarini himself.

DeMarini explained to me that tests and research have proven that the softball

doesn't come off the double wall bat any faster than it comes off any other

bat, and doesn't travel any further. What the bat does do is increase the

frequency of a hitter making perfect contact with the " sweet spot. "

He said that if a person can hit the ball 320 feet eight times in 40 swings,

the double wall bat will allow him to hit it that same 320 feet, only 25 times

in 40 swings.

Research, according to DeMarini, has proven that if a man can hit the ball a

maximum of 88 miles per hour with a regular bat it will come off the bat no

faster with the double wall - only more often.

A friend, who plays in the area of 150 softball games a year, made an

interesting comment. He said, referring to the bat, " It makes good players

great and it makes great players dangerous. "

I personally use the single wall DeMARINI bat, which I think is the best bat

on the market, and will continue to even after I receive my complementary

double wall model. I just wouldn't feel right taking a double wall to the

plate. Even though I've softened my opinion slightly, on the safety of the

bat, I still don't see the sense of using it.

Luckily, the " great " players, purely out of respect for one another, aren't

using the double wall bats. Not because they can't afford them, but because

they don't need them.

The worse thing I could imagine would be the entire Newtown `A' Division

getting up there with DeMARINI double wall bats. But if a few people use them,

eventually everybody will.

I can't picture playing in a game where every player on both teams is hitting

the ball on the sweet spot every time up.

The playing field would again be level . . . only it won't get any bigger.

Consider the consequences.