Did You Know That Tee-Ball Was Invented in Michigan?

Most of us played it when we were younger, but did you know that tee-ball was actually invented in Michigan?

I didn't until today...

When Was Tee-Ball Invented?

According to some, it all started in Albion back in the 1950s when a man named Jerome (Jerry) Sacharski decided to place a ball on a tee in order to make it easier for smaller kids to hit the ball. According to the Washington Post, Sacharski "couldn't bear to turn away young children who clamored to play baseball."

Get our free mobile app

The thing about Mr. Sacharski is that he didn't care to take credit for inventing the game. In fact, another man, a fundamentalist minister by the name of Robert Dayton Hobbs, registered the trademark back in 1971.

Tee Ball Has Become Far More Organized Over the Years

In the beginning, tee-ball was just kind of around and it was a way for younger kids to get the hang of the sport of baseball. But, over the years, tee ball has become much, much more organized. In fact, there is a T-Ball USA Association that serves as the governing body for tee-ball teams across the country. The association basically lays out rules and specifications for the game.

READ MORE: Hate Going to the Dentist? Blame the Kalamazoo Man Who Invented the Dental Drill

Is it 'Tee-Ball' or 'T-Ball'?

That depends on who you ask, I guess? In fact, it seems that the T-Ball USA Association doesn't really know and uses the two interchangeably. Actually, they use four different versions on their website - "T-Ball", "T Ball", "Tball", and "Tee Ball". So basically, just pick whichever one you like best.

Now that we (maybe) know the origin of tee-ball, let's take a look at some other notable things that were made in Michigan.