“The Era of the Heavy Bat: Heavy versus Light” by Ron ‘The Grizz’ Williams, Sacramento MSBL
“The Era of the Heavy Bat: Heavy versus Light”
By Ron ‘The Grizz’ Williams, Sacramento MSBL
(Editor’s note) Ron Williams is a Sacramento MSBL and MSBL World Series institution. He has more rings than Saturn, and I can personally attest that he is one of the toughest outs I face in Arizona from 60 feet away. Sacramento League President Alan Van Ness sent us the story below that Ron took the time to share. Alan also included a personal introduction as a way of introducing you to the Sacramento legend.
“Ron “Grizz“ Williams is a long-time SMSBL Board Member and Sacramento Hall of Fame member,” stated Van Ness. “This year at the MSBL World Series, he is playing in the 73+, 75+, and 80+ divisions, while here at home, he even plays in our Golden 60+ League.
I don’t have enough time to list how valuable this guy is to SMSBL. It’s people like Grizz that make me continue to run this league. He is a long-time Sacramento Solon down in Arizona.
I’m also including a picture of our SMSBL’s new “GRIZZEBO,” which this guy built. He is one incredible person and does so much for so many others. I am proud to call him an SMSBL Board Member and player here in Sacramento.”
In the words of “The Grizz”…(Photos courtesy of Jane Burkitt)
Is the era of the heavy bat gone or is it still here? We still have some die-hards out here that will not give up the heavy bat. The Babe is the first name that comes to mind when heavy bats come up in conversation. Our hero back in the days of growing up was the Babe, even though we never got the chance to see him play. We grew up with Mantle, Mays, and McCovey but the king was still the Babe. Anytime we had a chance to use a big bat we were the Babe! The old timers were and still are our heroes in this wonderful game of baseball. I get kidded a lot about my bat, but there’s nothing better than the feeling of the ball flying off the barrel of that tree trunk when you connect.
My heavy bat era started about fifteen years ago. My friend and fellow teammate, Billy Clause, came to me and handed me a 34×40 ounce bat and said “This is way too heavy for me. I cannot use it. Do you want to try it?” I used the bat the next time up and hit a double, so I decided to keep using it. I used the bat for about four years.
One night at a game, I told Lanny Ropke that I needed a heavier bat! As a joke, he brought me a demo bat made by Trinity Bat Company. It was a 34×46 ounce, we had a laugh, I loved the bat, and the rest is history. I have contacted Trinity Bat Company and asked if they would make me another bat the same as this one, even offering to pay extra for the setup charges, but they said that they would not run another one that size.
In our local leagues, I have found only one other person that swings a bat close to mine. His name is Zach Jones, and he swings a 40 oz bat. Zach is a good player and hitter. He plays for Denny Brown in the Tri Valley league in the Bay Area, and he can slap that 40 oz. into some unpredictable places for sure.
As I said, my bat is a 34×46 oz bat with a 1/1/4” handle, and the barrel is 2/3/4”. I use this bat for batting left-handed. My right-handed bat is a 36x38oz made by Axis Bat Company, a Ryan Kalish maple model. Studies show that doubling the mass of the bat increases the velocity of the ball leaving the surface of the bat @ 12 MPH faster.
The umpires make jokes about me using my kitchen table legs to play baseball and putting them back on the table when I get home! Like all baseball players, we want to play this game as long as we can with pride and integrity. We play against friends and familiar faces every year, and even newer faces every year. We want to play baseball more than anything else, and anytime we can. Our hearts and souls are definitely afflicted with this great disease.
Lanny Ropke said he even had a 50-ounce bat! Yep, you guessed it! My 46-ounce was getting tired and needed a few repairs, so I told Rope to let me try the 50. I now swing a 50-ounce bat and it seems to be working just fine. The boys call it The Grizz Bat. The only thing I love more in life than baseball is my wife and kids, although that can be quite a race sometimes!
I also want to convey a huge thank you to MSBL and the Sacramento MSBL for making it possible for us old timers and younger guys to come out and play this thing we call baseball.