Did You Know Baseball Bats Used By Major Leaguers Are Made in CNY?

The crack of the bat--baseball's signature sound at stadiums all over the United States--begins right here in Central New York. In fact, you might say there would be no Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown without the local bat maker that helped make it possible.

The Adirondack Bat Company, purchased by sporting goods giant Rawlings in the 1970s, is still going strong in Dolgeville. Adirondack Rawlings manufactures over 300,000 bats a year, with about 6,000 going to Major League hitters. In fact, you could put together a pretty good All-Star team from this list of past and current ballplayers who have used an Adirondack baseball bat:

• Joe Torre
• Mike Schmidt
• Mickey Mantle
• Hank Aaron
• Roberto Clemente
• Mark McGwire
• Cal Ripken Jr.
• Joe Mauer
• Matt Kemp
• Mike Moustakas

Adirondack bats were at the plate for some of baseball's most famous home runs, including Bobby Thomson's famous "Shot Heard Round the World" that won a pennant for the New York Giants in 1951.

Also Adirondack: Reggie Jackson's three dingers in the decisive game of the 1977 World Series AND his monumental blast that nearly cleared the roof at Detroit's Tiger Stadium in the 1971 All-Star Game.

You can visit the Adirondack plant at 52 McKinley Avenue in Dolgeville or on their website.