Maine-made baseball bat to star in Major League Home Run Derby
Photo / Matt Dirksen, Colorado Rockies, Getty Images
Reigning Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso, who plays for the New York Mets, has won the last two derbies using bats made by Dove Tail Bats, of Shirley, Maine.
When New York Mets infielder Pete Alonso defends his Home Run Derby title in tonight's competition, he'll again be using one of the Maine-made bats from Dove Tail Bat Co.
Dove Tail is based in the Piscataquis County town of Shirley, population 225.
A sports marketing expert deems the partnership a win for both the bat company and the batter.
"The value of these types of athlete partnerships can be very beneficial both on and off the field, including social media," Greg Glynn, an athlete brand advisor and CEO of Pliable Marketing in Augusta, told Mainebiz. "More people will learn about Dove Tail Bat because of Pete Alonso, and more people from Maine will be rooting for Pete Alonso because he's supporting a Maine company. I know I will be.”
Tonight's Home Run Derby, set to start at 8 p.m. EDT at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, is an annual power-hitter slugfest customarily held a day before Major League Baseball's All-Star Game.
The last two derbies were held in 2021 and 2019, with the 2020 event canceled due to the pandemic.
Alonso, who won the last two titles with a Dove Tail bat, worked with the company to custom-design a wooden bat that he will use as he goes for an unprecedented third straight triumph.
"We have had a lot of faith in our bats for a long time," said Paul Lancisi, CEO of Dove Tail Bat. "As much as we have believed in our product, nothing compares to seeing Pete Alonso chasing history using a Maine-made bat."
While the player’s natural talent speaks for itself, he added, “we would like to add that Maine wood, Maine design, and Maine's Yankee ingenuity and hard work have played a small part in his success.”
Dove Tail produced 30,000 bats in 2021, and saw three of its creations entered into the Baseball Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, N.Y. The company employs around 15 people.
Lancisi told Mainebiz that business has gone up 30% to 35% from last year, and that while the company has had to raise prices by about 10% because of the rising cost of finishes, "the wood market is very stable and doing well."
Alonso, nicknamed "Polar Bear," plays first base for the Mets and has a batting average this season of .265.
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