When I was little young I dissected a baseball to see how it was made. Since it’s been a long time, and I don’t remember it, I decided it was time to do it again.
![Baseball](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120606-3495-940px.jpg)
It took about 45 minutes to remove the red laces holding the leather since I took my time and tried to preserve them as much as possible.
![Baseball with thread](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120606-3500-940px.jpg)
The leather was glued to the ball underneath and had to be peeled away. Under the leather, the ball was covered in a thin, but strong, thread.
![Baseball with leather removed](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120606-3510-940px.jpg)
Under one of the pieces of leather, the letters “EOBRCO” were stamped. The Google had no results when looking for “EOBRCO baseball”, “EOBRCO Rawlings”, or “EOBRCO leather”. I assume they’re a lot number related to the leather manufacturing.
![Inside of the leather cover](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120606-3511-940px.jpg)
After unraveling the thread, the ball was covered in a dark, thick yarn.
![Baseball after the white floss was removed](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120606-3527-940px.jpg)
Underneath the dark yarn was a lighter, thinner yarn.
![Baseball after the yarn removed](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120606-3531-940px.jpg)
Underneath the light yarn was more of the dark yarn.
![Baseball after white yarn removed](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120607-3549-940px.jpg)
Finally, the rubber core.
![Baseball after 2nd layer of dark yarn removed](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120607-3552-940px.jpg)
The core is very hard and has no bounce to it.
![Baseball core with US quarter for reference](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120607-3557-940px.jpg)
![All parts of the baseball](https://i.sixfoot6.org/images/baseball-dissection/baseball-dissection-20120610-3606-940px.jpg)
The whole operation took about one-and-a-half hours.
For my next project, I’m going to go all Humpty Dumpty and try putting it back together.
Just kidding.
Actually…that’s not a bad idea…