Record-breaking
baseball bats
started in a library
Sam Holman had a challenge: to make
a stronger baseball bat.
The Canada-based carpenter researched
225 related patents at multiple public and
special libraries, and realized that maple
bats would be stronger and more durable
than traditional ash.
Holman’s first baseball bat was carved
out of a maple banister from the stairway
in his house.
makes more than 30,000 Sam Bats a year,
and more than 200 major leaguers
swear by them.
LOCAL LIBRARIES
SPARKED AN INVENTOR’S
HOME RUN
Photo © Couvrette/Ottawa
Today, the Original Maple Bat Company
You may not be manufacturing bats. But from small to large, all
businesses need information. And, because not all information
found on the Internet is complete, reliable, and accurate, ALL
businesses need a library.
More than 130,000 Canadian entrepreneurs will start a business this year, and
libraries can help them find success. Libraries provide fast, guided access to
market data, incorporation information, legal resources, and more.
Go to www.itc.mb.ca
to learn about what ITC
can do for you.
The Industrial Technology Centre Library, located in the University of Manitoba
Smartpark, is a full-service library for Manitoba companies, staffed with a
professional librarian who can help you source and obtain the information
that meets your needs. Contact the library at 204.480.0336 or send e-mail to
[email protected].
Who knows what Manitoba company will have the next home run?
© 2007 OCLC and The Original Maple Bat Company. All rights reserved.