New Baseball Bat Shows Its Dimples

The boys and girls of summer are stepping up to home plate, and soon some of them may be hitting line drives over the wall using dimpled bats.

Taking a lead from golf balls, which are dimpled to improve their flight, baseball bats are showing up with dimples, indentations along the surface that help cut wind resistance.

A baseball fan at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Jeffrey DiTullio, used his knowledge of air-flow dynamics to develop a dimpled bat. While it may not be approved for the major leagues, it just might change the complexion of recreational play.

DiTullio said from his Boston-area home that the indentations along the length of the bat increase swing speed by 3% to 5% and add 10 to 15 feet to each hit.

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