Babe Ruth Baseball Bat Rules In 2023

Babe Ruth League bat rules include all bats Must Be BBCOR .50 for the 16-18 category. It allows players to use solid one-piece wood bats in all divisions.

The bat with any lamination or experimental bats should not be used in the match. Bat modifications or tampering might result in legal violations, suspension of USA Baseball certification, and voiding of manufacturer warranties. It is prohibited to roll the bat since that is also seen as tampering.

Here is the list of the Babe Ruth League Bat Rules:

• Bat Materials: Bats used in Babe Ruth League competition must be constructed of wood or certified by USABat. Unlike bats that are USABat certified, which are often made of composite materials, wood bats are subject to certain size and weight limitations.
• USABat Standard: This standard specifies specifications for barrel diameter, length, weight distribution, and other elements in order to make youth baseball bats function more like wood bats. Players should make sure the USA Baseball logo is present on any non-wooden bat.
• Barrel size: The largest barrel size that non-wood bats may have is normally 2 5/8 inches in diameter. However, it's important to double-check the Babe Ruth League's exact guidelines for age groups because they can be different.
• Bat Certification: To participate in Babe Ruth League games, bats must bear the USA Baseball certification mark. The certificate guarantees that the bat satisfies the necessary performance requirements.
• Ratio of length to weight: Non-wood bats must normally have a length-to-weight ratio minus 3 or less. For instance, a 32-inch bat needs to be at least 29 ounces heavy.
• Bats Banned: Some bats may be banned because of safety regulations or technology that improves performance. Babe Ruth League website the local league has the information regarding any specific bats that are banned.

In Cal Ripken Baseball, Babe Ruth Baseball, or Babe Ruth Softball, a bat should be removed from the game if its manufacture and model are not easily identifiable to inspect the barrel composition.

Following is a list of the bat requirements for Babe Ruth Baseball for the various age divisions as of the 2023 season:

Cal Ripken Baseball Division (5-12)

• 33-inch maximum bat length.
• 9/4 inches is the maximum bat barrel diameter.
• There can only be non-wood bats with a 9/4-inch barrel and BPF 1.15 markings.
• wood bats are also allowed with a barrel diameter of 9/4 inches.

13–15 Babe Ruth Baseball:

• BBCOR or USA Baseball Marking.50
• 34-inch maximum bat length.
• Size of barrel: 21/8 inches
• Official Baseball Rule 1.10 must be followed while using wood bats. 
• Composite barrel bats that have been certified and marked with BBCOR.50 are permitted.

Babe Ruth Baseball 16-18:

• Every bat needs to be BBCOR.50.
• 34-inch maximum bat length.
• Size of barrel: 21/8 inches
• Maximum decline ratio of length to weight: –3
• Official Baseball Rule 1.10 also applies to wood bats.
• Composite barrel bats that have been certified and marked with BBCOR.50 are permitted.

Babe Ruth Softball in all divisions:

• The bat's length is limited to 34 inches.
• The bat barrel can only be 38 ounces in weight and 9/4 inches wide.
• The bat must be marked with "OFFICIAL SOFTBALL" or "OFFICIAL FASTPITCH" on it.
• Official Softball Rule 1.10-compliant wood barrel bats are also permitted.

Penalties for using an illegal bat in any match are given below:

• The at-bat continues if an illegal bat is discovered before a batter has finished their turn at the plate.
• A player is called out if they hit a fair ball with an illegal or incorrect barrel-size bat. No one is allowed to go up a base, and every out throughout the play counts. This is appealable.
• An illegal bat must be seized right away and is not permitted to be utilized in the match if it is found before the game starts.

Babe Ruth bat size and weight was around 34-36 inch long and 38-54 ounces respectively. He used much heavier bats than that of today.

Babe Ruth utilized weighty bats that weighed between 38 and 54 ounces throughout his career. Approximately 34 to 36-inch-long bats were his preference. Perhaps because these offered him more power, these heavier bats allowed him to hit the ball farther and set records.

Babe Ruth bat weight of 37.2 ounces was used in game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. Ruth's iconic "Called Shot" home run was hit with this bat. The bat was 34.75 inches long and it was graded as perfect 10 in the report of PSA/DNA. The bat is also named the Lumber of Legend.

When Babe Ruth's bat was first discovered, some believed it to be from 1935, but studies disproved this. An order he placed with Louisville Slugger on April 18, 1932, reveals that the bat is truly from that year. It's also evident from a picture of the famous Babe Ruth called Shot Bat that he used a 1932 bat.

Babe Ruth called shot bat worth $212,587 as realised in 2018. It was the same bat Ruth hit a famous homer against the Cubs in 1932.

The Babe Ruth Called shot bat was graded as perfect 10 and it was asked for $2 Million. Rick Harrison took the picture of the bat before buying it for cross-checking. He measured its length and weight with the experts. 

The experts came to the conclusion that the bat was not real. The seller was asking for $2 Million but it was not worth more than $300 in the market. Babe Ruth called shot bat pawn stars nearly paid more than a million dollars for it.

Babe Ruth's bat has been sold in Million dollars in the auctions. Here is the list of the value of some Ruth's bats from different seasons:

• 1923 Babe Ruth used bat: $1,265,000
• 1929 Babe Ruth used bat: $1,000,800
• 1921 Babe Ruth used bat: $930,800
• 1921 Babe Ruth used bat: $717,000
• 1927-28 Babe Ruth used bat: $591,007
• 1928 Babe Ruth used bat: $537,750
• 1934-35 Babe Ruth used bat: $458,250
• 1920 Babe Ruth used bat: $408,000
• 1920-22 Babe Ruth used bat: $400,800
• 1927 Babe Ruth used bat: $388,375

Likewise, Babe Ruth's bat has sold for millions of dollars.