<P> Both wooden and metal alloy (generally aluminum) bats are generally permitted in amateur baseball . Metal alloy bats are generally regarded as being capable of hitting a ball faster and farther with the same power . However, increasing numbers of "wooden bat leagues" have emerged in recent years, reflecting a trend back to wood over safety concerns and, in the case of collegiate summer baseball wood - bat leagues, to better prepare players for the professional leagues that require wood bats . Metal alloy bats can send a ball towards an unprotected pitcher's head up to 60 ft 6 in (18.44 m) away at a velocity far too high for the pitcher to get out of the way in time . Some amateur baseball organizations enforce bat manufacturing and testing standards which attempt to limit maximum ball speed for wood and non-wood bats . </P> <P> In high school baseball in the United States: </P> <Ul> <Li> The bat is not permitted to be more than 2 ⁄ inches (67 mm) in diameter . </Li> <Li> Its "drop" (inches of length minus ounces of weight) must be no more than 3: for example, a 34 ‐ inch (863.6 ‐ mm) bat must weigh at least 31 ounces (880 g). </Li> <Li> The bat may consist of any safe solid uniform material; the National Federation of State High School Associations rules state only "wood or non-wood" material . </Li> <Li> To be legally used in a game, an aluminum bat has to be a BBCOR (Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution) bat because it has been determined that a pitcher loses the ability to protect himself when this ratio is exceeded . </Li> </Ul> <Li> The bat is not permitted to be more than 2 ⁄ inches (67 mm) in diameter . </Li>

When was the first wooden baseball bat made