Made in Maine is a big hit in the World Series

 

Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer drives in the winning run with a sacrifice fly against the New York Mets in the 14th inning in game one of the World Series Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Hosmer is using a bat made by the Dove Tail Bat Company in Shirley, Maine. (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY)

Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer drives in the winning run with a sacrifice fly against the New York Mets in the 14th inning in game one of the World Series Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Hosmer is using a bat made by the Dove Tail Bat Company in Shirley, Maine. (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY)

Baseball is a sport consumed by statistics, which many of its crazed fans relish. Just take a look at a composite box score and the line includes games, at-bats, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBIs, walks, strikeouts, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and — my new favorite — on-base plus slugging percentage.

And those are just the batting stats.

For those looking for a more obscure stat, however, consider this: Eight of the 12 runs driven in by the Kansas City Royals in their two World Series victories have come off wooden bats made by the Dove Tail Bat Company.

Those stats are being prominently displayed on DTB’s Facebook page and should be making residents of the Pine Tree State proud since the bats are manufactured in Shirley, Maine, by a company owned by Paul and Theresa Lancisi.

Their company, which is eight miles south of Greenville, is one of almost 40 which compete to make bats for MLB players.

The KC players using the bats include catcher Salvador Perez, third baseman Mike Moustakas, left fielder Alex Gordon and first baseman Eric Hosmer. Moustakas and Gordon have each driven in two runs while Hosmer has plated four, including the winning run via a sacrifice fly in KC’s 5-4 victory over the Mets in the 14th inning of Game 1.

Hosmer drove in two runs in the opener and two more in the Royals 7-1 victory in Game 2 Wednesday night.

The use of the Dove Tail Bats provide another strong reason for Red Sox fans in Maine to support the Royals in their quest for their first World Series title since 1985 in addition to favoring the American League champ and cheering against all teams from New York.

When Game 3 begins Friday night in New York, take notice of those sharp, solid gleaming bats made in Maine. They may make the runs and, hopefully two more wins, a bit more satisfying while providing another stat to track.

Joe McLaughlin

About Joe McLaughlin

McLaughlin (right) is a Stearns High School and University of Maine graduate who worked for three years at the Aroostook Republican and News in Caribou as a reporter and editor. He has worked on the BDN sports desk for 30 years, the last 18 as sports editor. McLaughlin and his wife, Kathy Schwigan, live in Brewer and have three adult children: Ryan, Matthew and Tess.