On March 13, 1969 – In addition to this year’s lower mound and tightened strike zone, Major League Baseball tries an experimental ball with 10% more resiliency for a spring training game between the Mets and Tigers in Lakeland, Florida. It has an all-rubber center instead of a cork and rubber core, and the seams are higher than the regular ball. Mets pitcher Don Cardwell surrenders three home runs in the 4th inning to Dick McAuliffe, Norm Cash, and Gates Brown in the Tigers’ 7 – 4 victory. The players agree the ball is definitely livelier and sounds louder coming off the bat.
After seven innings of the exhibition game, Bowie Kuhn held a news conference in the Marchant Stadium press box. “The dugouts agree that the ball is livelier, said the commissioner after visiting both teams while the game was in progress. “The pitchers agree that it stinks,” said Kuhn, half in jest, “The ball has a higher seam and appears to some to be slightly smaller, although it measures to specifications.”
The commissioner said he was blindfolded and picked out the experimental ball thrice because of the higher seams. Kuhn said the ball would be tested Friday again in a game between the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants at Phoenix, Ariz. “It will have to be tested more extensively than two games,” Kuhn noted. “We might try it this summer in the rookie league.” Kuhn said it would not be tried during a regular season major league game. He said the ball meets specifications, but just happens to be livelier. It was manufactured by Spauld- mg, which makes all major league baseballs.
The Giants’ will win that game 13 – 1 win over the Angels, with Bobby Bonds hitting the only two homers off George Brunet.
Sources:
Baseball Reference March 13SABR Games Project
Retro Sheet
