{"product_id":"old-hickory-black-label-maple-wood-baseball-bat","title":"Old Hickory Black Label Maple Wood Baseball Bat","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Old Hickory Black Label Maple Wood Baseball Bat is a pro grade maple game bat at an everyday price. Black Label bats are made from the same maple Old Hickory uses across its entire lineup. They did not meet the strict specifications Old Hickory requires for its Custom Pro bats, but they are still built the Old Hickory way, and every one includes the pro ink dot test. Choose from five matte finishes: natural, black, ebony, Ocean Breeze and Seafoam Green, in adult baseball lengths from 31 to 34 inches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlack Label bats are non-model specific. That is the trade-off behind the price: you choose the finish and the length, not a particular barrel and handle shape. For a hitter who wants a dependable maple bat for batting practice, cage work or a wood bat league, that trade is easy to make.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat Black Label Means\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOld Hickory turns its Custom Pro bats to exact specifications for each model. Bats that do not meet every one of those specifications become Black Label bats. The wood is the same maple. What changes is that the bat is not tied to a model, so the profile and the balance vary from bat to bat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Pro Ink Dot Test\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ink dot test is a simple check on grain. A drop of ink on the handle spreads along the wood fibers, and the line it leaves shows how straight the grain runs down the bat. Straighter grain is what keeps a maple bat in one piece on a jam shot, which is why pro maple bats are ink dot tested. Every Black Label bat includes it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFive Matte Finishes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural: matte natural maple with a black Old Hickory logo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlack: matte black with a gold Old Hickory logo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEbony: a matte ebony stain that lets the maple grain show through\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOcean Breeze: dipped by hand to a teal hue, sealed with a matte finish and labeled with the mirror gold Old Hickory logo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeafoam Green: hand sprayed in seafoam green, finished with a matte seal and the white Old Hickory logo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finish is a matter of taste. All five are the same pro grade maple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSizes and Weight\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNatural, black and Ocean Breeze come in 32, 32.5, 33, 33.5 and 34 inch lengths. Ebony and Seafoam Green add a 31 inch, for 31, 32, 32.5, 33, 33.5 and 34 inch lengths. Because Black Label bats are non-model specific, weight varies from bat to bat, from a -2 to a -4 length to weight ratio. A 33 inch bat, for example, will weigh somewhere from 29 to 31 ounces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMatch the length of the bat the hitter swings now. If a hitter needs an exact weight, or a specific model, look at the Old Hickory Steel Pressed stock bats instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho the Old Hickory Black Label Maple Wood Baseball Bat Is For\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh school, college and adult baseball hitters who want a pro grade maple bat without paying for a specific model\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHitters who want a second bat for batting practice and cage work, so the game bat lasts longer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWood bat league players\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlayers trying a wood bat for the first time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBlack Label or Steel Pressed?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChoose Black Label when price matters most and the exact shape does not. Choose an \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/old-hickory-baseball-bats\"\u003eOld Hickory Steel Pressed stock bat\u003c\/a\u003e when you want a specific model, a known balance (balanced, semi-end loaded or end loaded) and a consistent -3 target weight. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/old-hickory-kt30-steel-pressed-maple-wood-baseball-bat\"\u003eKT30\u003c\/a\u003e is a good balanced place to start, and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/old-hickory-mt27-steel-pressed-maple-wood-baseball-bat\"\u003eMT27\u003c\/a\u003e, the best seller in Old Hickory's 2027 catalog, carries a little more weight out front.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePair It With an Old Hickory Trainer\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/products\/old-hickory-hta-adult-hands-trainer-bat\"\u003eOld Hickory HTA Adult Hands Trainer Bat\u003c\/a\u003e comes in the same 31 to 34 inch lengths and builds hand and forearm strength for bat speed. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/old-hickory-ft1-flat-sided-trainer-bat\"\u003eOld Hickory FT1 Flat Sided Trainer Bat\u003c\/a\u003e shows a hitter whether the barrel is square at contact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCaring for a Maple Wood Bat\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHit real leather baseballs. Dimpled machine balls and rubber cage balls are hard on wood bats.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStore the bat indoors, away from extreme heat, cold and humidity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCheck the bat for cracks before each session.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo not use the bat to knock cleats or hit anything other than a baseball.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOld Hickory Black Label Maple Wood Baseball Bat Specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrand: Old Hickory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLine: Black Label (non-model specific)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWood: pro grade maple\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrain check: pro ink dot test\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinishes: matte natural, black, ebony, Ocean Breeze, Seafoam Green\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLengths: 32, 32.5, 33, 33.5, 34 inches; ebony and Seafoam Green also 31 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeight: -2 to -4 length to weight ratio, varies by bat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSport: baseball\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhat does non-model specific mean?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bat is not turned to one named model, so the barrel and handle shape and the balance vary from bat to bat. You choose the finish and the length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhy does a Black Label bat cost less than a Steel Pressed bat?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlack Label bats are made from the same maple but did not meet every specification Old Hickory requires for its Custom Pro bats. You get pro grade maple and the ink dot test without paying for a specific model.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHow much does it weigh?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeight varies from a -2 to a -4 length to weight ratio. A 33 inch bat will weigh somewhere from 29 to 31 ounces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWhich finishes come in 31 inches?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEbony and Seafoam Green. Natural, black and Ocean Breeze start at 32 inches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIs this a softball bat?\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The Old Hickory Black Label is a baseball bat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Old Hickory","offers":[{"title":"Natural \/ 32 Inch","offer_id":67906311455035,"sku":"O02-BL-NAT-32","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Natural \/ 32.5 Inch","offer_id":67906311487803,"sku":"O02-BL-NAT-32.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Natural \/ 33 Inch","offer_id":67906311520571,"sku":"O02-BL-NAT-33","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Natural \/ 33.5 Inch","offer_id":67906311553339,"sku":"O02-BL-NAT-33.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Natural \/ 34 Inch","offer_id":67906311586107,"sku":"O02-BL-NAT-34","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 32 Inch","offer_id":67906311618875,"sku":"O02-BL-BLK-32","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 32.5 Inch","offer_id":67906311651643,"sku":"O02-BL-BLK-32.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 33 Inch","offer_id":67906311684411,"sku":"O02-BL-BLK-33","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 33.5 Inch","offer_id":67906311717179,"sku":"O02-BL-BLK-33.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ 34 Inch","offer_id":67906311749947,"sku":"O02-BL-BLK-34","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebony \/ 31 Inch","offer_id":67906311782715,"sku":"O02-BL-EBN-31","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebony \/ 32 Inch","offer_id":67906311815483,"sku":"O02-BL-EBN-32","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebony \/ 32.5 Inch","offer_id":67906311848251,"sku":"O02-BL-EBN-32.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebony \/ 33 Inch","offer_id":67906311881019,"sku":"O02-BL-EBN-33","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebony \/ 33.5 Inch","offer_id":67906311913787,"sku":"O02-BL-EBN-33.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebony \/ 34 Inch","offer_id":67906311946555,"sku":"O02-BL-EBN-34","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ocean Breeze \/ 32 Inch","offer_id":67906311979323,"sku":"O02-BL-OB-32","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ocean Breeze \/ 32.5 Inch","offer_id":67906312012091,"sku":"O02-BL-OB-32.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ocean Breeze \/ 33 Inch","offer_id":67906312044859,"sku":"O02-BL-OB-33","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ocean Breeze \/ 33.5 Inch","offer_id":67906312077627,"sku":"O02-BL-OB-33.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ocean Breeze \/ 34 Inch","offer_id":67906312110395,"sku":"O02-BL-OB-34","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Seafoam Green \/ 31 Inch","offer_id":67906312143163,"sku":"O02-BL-SFG-31","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Seafoam Green \/ 32 Inch","offer_id":67906312175931,"sku":"O02-BL-SFG-32","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Seafoam Green \/ 32.5 Inch","offer_id":67906312208699,"sku":"O02-BL-SFG-32.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Seafoam Green \/ 33 Inch","offer_id":67906312241467,"sku":"O02-BL-SFG-33","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Seafoam Green \/ 33.5 Inch","offer_id":67906312274235,"sku":"O02-BL-SFG-33.5","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Seafoam Green \/ 34 Inch","offer_id":67906312307003,"sku":"O02-BL-SFG-34","price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0957\/4658\/8987\/files\/old-hickory-black-label-maple-wood-bat-natural.jpg?v=1793934086","url":"https:\/\/www.hittingstore.com\/products\/old-hickory-black-label-maple-wood-baseball-bat","provider":"HittingStore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}