"In my early years, I began developing my athletic abilities as my brother Lou and I competed in the major sports... My baseball skills increased as we frequently played each other in corkball games. We would tape a wine bottle cork and use it as our baseball. Because the taped cork moved so erratic when pitched, I was able to develop a quick, short, and controlled swing with good hand eye-coordination."

John B., 1952 NCAA All-American

My grandfather and his brother, John, used to take the leftover wine corks from their father's cellar and a broomstick from the closet to play baseball in their backyard. It was one of the DIY's alternative to playing baseball with an actual "cork" ball. Because the wine cork was light and shaped differently then a baseball, it really did move from the time it left the pitcher's hand. To hit it, it required greater hand-eye coordination, bat speed, and ability to read the pitch than hitting a rounded ball. Fifty years later, and my father and I can testify to that as well.

As a kid, my father and his brother used to stand in front of the television and mimic each batter's stance and swing. They would commentate the games, feel the emotion in the players, and lose track of time in what he believed to be the most beautiful game on earth. On rainy days, you could find the family at the table playing Strat-o-Matic Baseball. On sunny days, they'd be chomping at the bit for his father to get home so they could long toss or take some cuts. If it was a late work day for their father, they'd hit corkballs in the backyard like their Uncle John. He used the same tape-wrapped corks throughout his Division I career and throughout his minor league career with the Yankees organization.

As a coach and as players, we also saw the need for batting practice and hitting drills that could both challenge a players hand-eye coordination and gear up the players during pre-game warmups. However, we also realized the lack of space both at indoor and outdoor complexes. To solve this problem, he acquired an inspiration to recreate the simple and enjoyable corks that had helped him improve over the years. And from us all at CorkballUSA, we are certain we can provide you with the same experience it has brought us.