The Dead Ball Era

Since 1840 A.D., the United States and most of planet Earth have been enjoying the game of

baseball. Since that time, many historic and forgotten players have come and gone. From 1900-1919,

there was an era of baseball known as the Dead-Ball Era. Soon, that Era transitioned into the Era we

now know as the Live Ball Era, 1920-present. From 1920, stars such as Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle,

Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, Nolan Ryan, Jose Canseco, Randy Johnson, and Pedro Martinez came

forth and flourished with many teammates and championships. From the beginning to the Dead-Ball

Era to the present, baseball has given millions of fans, a lifetime of memories.

The Dead-Ball Era was a period in the early 20th century characterized by low scoring

The live-ball era, also referred to as the lively ball era, is the period in Major League Baseball

beginning in 1920, following the dead-ball era. During that year offensive statistics rose dramatically in

what would be mistakenly attributed to the introduction of a new "lively" ball. While cork-centered

balls had been introduced around 1910 (and proved very hitter-friendly), the construction of the balls

remained consistent between the transition from the dead to live-ball eras. More important, several rule

changes gave more advantages to the batter.

Before that time, the same ball would be used throughout the game and foul balls would be

thrown back on the field and reused. The ball would only be replaced if it started to unravel. As games

progressed, the ball would become increasingly dirty and worn, making it difficult to see and

Successful hitters like Sisler, Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker provide further evidence that

the "live-ball era" is a misnomer. The established sluggers of the 1910s maintained their previous,

successful hitting styles into the 1920s, choking up on the bat, striking out less and generally hitting

more doubles than home runs. However, Ruth- previously a pitcher, which might explain why no one

tried to "correct" his swing- held the bat lower and swung with an uppercut, essentially trying to hit

home runs. When he hit 54 home runs in 1920, it was a total greater than 14 of the other 15 teams at the

time, and it nearly tripled Sisler's second-highest total of 19 that season. Seeing his success (and his

popularity that followed), young players who debuted in the 1920s such as Lou Gehrig and Mel Ott

followed Ruth's example, and the home run has been a significant part of baseball since.

America's pastime has been enjoyed from generation to generation, passed from father to son,

and beloved by all. Since the color barrier being broken, millions of immagrants flooded the