As a Northwoods resident and tree lover, I think it was a wonderful coincidence that Forest Products Week ended with the Milwaukee Brewers appearing in the World Series. Not surprisingly, millions of new Brewers fans joined those of us who had loved our Brew Crew for decades. What a ride. I’m still pinching myself to make sure this isn’t all a pipe dream.
Baseball fans or not, we all use forest products daily — toilet paper, tissues, cups, wrappers, copier paper, newspapers, shipping boxes, pencils, furniture, books, puzzles, board games and so much more. Rarely ever mentioned is an essential baseball item made from forest products.
When Jon and I bought Otter Run in Townsend in 1993, I literally did not see the forest for the trees. It hurt my heart to cut a tree unless it was in danger of falling on our cabin or blocking the access road. Knowing nothing about sustainable forestry practices, my philosophy was to let nature take its course.
Then our neighbor, Lee Stehula, told us we could get a break on property taxes if we consigned 40 acres of our woods into the Managed Forest Woodland program. We looked into it and in 1997 signed a 30-year renewable agreement with the State of Wisconsin.
The first step was to find a certified forester to create a long-term plan to ensure the forest was kept healthy and productive. We did that but had no idea what logging company to hire. Jon was concerned that a logger would high grade. Thankfully, Richard Pintsch, then-owner of the Townsend hardware store, recommended McCauslin Logging.
On his first visit, co-owner Dave Christianson walked the property with us. He said our woods needed attention because most of the birch and popple trees were close to climax stage. We hired him on the spot.
Dave kept us in the loop the entire time. I was delighted when he said the birch would be used for baby furniture or made into popsicle sticks. The popple, a less desirable species, would become pulp for paper. I learned a lot from Dave, including that in Townsend logging is second only to tourism as an economic engine.
Faithfully following the MFL agreement, we cut again in 2013 and then in 2019 to clean up after the derecho. Each time, the trees were harvested to provide forest products that ended up in a myriad of consumer goods.
That brings us back to the aforementioned Forest Products Week.
Each year, Wisconsin dedicates a week to celebrating the fruits of the forest. This year, it happened to coincide with the Brewers appearance in the World Series. Why so special? Name an essential baseball item made in the USA that comes from forest products. You guessed it, the American baseball bat.
Some interesting history. The baseball bat business was established in a woodworking shop in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1856 by J. Frederick Hillerich, a German immigrant whose son John (Bud) played amateur baseball. Not happy with the bats available, Bud made his own. It didn’t take long for his teammates to request he make bats for them, but it was only a side gig.
In 1884, Bud was approached by Pete Browning, a superstar for the Eclipse, Louisville’s major league baseball team. Pete, whose nickname was the “Louisville Slugger,” was mired in a slump. He had heard of Bud’s special skill and begged him to make him a new bat. Using that bat, Pete had three hits in the next game.
You can guess the rest of the story, though it took a while to convince J. Frederick that producing baseball bats was the future of his company. Bud continued to work on refining them anyway. Good call.
In 1894, Bud joined his father as a business partner and registered the trademark, Louisville Slugger. Later, the business was purchased by Wilson, a company name familiar to anyone who knows anything about sports.
White ash was once the most popular wood used for professional bats. Now 75% are sugar maple or yellow birch. Each species has a different feel and energy reaction based on density, grain pattern, and flexibility.
Though custom made for each player, Major League Baseball requires bats be made from a single piece of solid wood, no more than 42 inches long, with a 2.61-inch diameter at the thickest point. For example, Hank Aaron’s bat was a 35-inch Louisville Slugger that weighed 33 ounces.
Some say too much is being made of the Brewers winning a World Series. Really? I believe the Brewers are the personification of Northwoods Wisconsinites. Tough, resilient, proud, hard-working, loyal, fun-loving hospitable folks who work as a team. We care for each other because we have to. Winter is bearing down on us.
Kathleen Marsh is a lifelong educator, writer and community advocate. She has published eight books, four on the history of Townsend, where she and husband Jon are happily retired on the beautiful Townsend Flowage.
