Sports That Use a Bat

The art of swinging a bat at a thrown ball is a common element for many sports. Though baseball and softball are the most common of this type of sport in the United States, popular variations exist in other countries such as cricket and rounders. A bat can have very different meanings depending on what sport you are playing.

  1. Baseball

    • Baseball is the sport that comes to mind for most people in the United States when they think about sports that use a bat. In baseball, a player uses a bat to hit a ball that is thrown overhand. Baseball bats are either made of one solid type of wood or aluminum. Wood bats are typically used at the professional level, while aluminum bats, which weigh less and can make the ball travel farther when hit, are used at the amateur and college levels. Depending on the height and weight of the player, a baseball bat can vary from 29 to 34 inches in length and in weight from 14 to 31 oz. or more.

    Softball

    • Softball is a game that is similar in rules to baseball, but the biggest differences are the size of the ball and the underhand pitching. At first glance, a softball bat looks like a baseball bat, but a softball bat's barrel is smaller in diameter than the barrel of a baseball bat, because the bat is hitting a ball that is traveling at a slower velocity. Softball bats are also longer and lighter than baseball bats.

    Cricket

    • Cricket is a game that's popular in Europe, Asia and Australia. In cricket, a batsman stands in the middle of an oval-shaped field and uses a bat to hit a ball thrown by a player called a bowler. A cricket bat is a bat made of wood and has a blade on one end instead of a barrel. The blade is smooth one side and has ridges on the other side. The batter strikes the ball with the smooth side of the blade on the cricket bat. A cricket bat weighs around 3 lbs. and is about 38 inches long.

    Rounders

    • Rounders is a game that originated in England. In rounders, a batter swings at a ball with a bat and runs to posts, which are like bases in baseball. A rounders bat is much shorter and lighter than a baseball bat and players often swing it one-handed. A rounders player must hold on to the bat as he runs around the posts.