<Li> The Wright & Ditsons Lajoie baseball bat . This bat had a normal size barrel but had two knobs on the handle . The lowest knob was at the bottom of the handle and the other knob was roughly two inches above the lowest knob . This was designed to have better spacing between the hands due to the knob being in the middle of the grip . This also gave batters an advantage when they choked up on the bat, because the second knob provided a better grip . </Li> <P> Since the bat regulations were set, there have not been many major design changes in the bats . </P> <P> Baseball bats are made of either wood, or a metal alloy (typically aluminum). Most wooden bats are made from ash . Other woods include maple, hickory, and bamboo . Hickory has fallen into disfavor over its greater weight, which slows down bat speed, while maple bats gained popularity following the introduction of the first major league sanctioned model in 1997 . The first player to use one was Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays . Barry Bonds used maple bats the seasons he broke baseball's single - season home run record in 2001, and the career home run record in 2007 . In 2010, the increased tendency of maple bats to shatter has caused Major League Baseball to examine their use, banning some models in minor league play . </P> <P> Manufacturers position each bat's label over the mechanically weaker side of the wood . To reduce chance of fracture, and maybe deliver more energy to the ball, a bat is intended to be held so the label faces sky or ground when it strikes the ball during a horizontal swing . In this orientation, the bat is considered stiffer and less likely to break . </P>

What type of wood are baseball bats made from