BALL BAT INCLUDING A FIBER COMPOSITE BARREL HAVING AN ACCELERATED BREAK-IN FUSE REGION

A ball bat extending about a longitudinal axis and configured for testing under an accelerated break-in test. The bat includes a barrel portion including a proximal region and a distal region. The barrel portion is formed of a fiber composite material having wall thickness of at least 0.100 inch. The fiber composite material includes at least first and second plies. The first ply includes a first plurality of fibers aligned adjacent to one another and a first resin, and the second ply includes a second plurality of fibers aligned adjacent to one another and a second resin. The first ply includes a first fiber discontinuity and the second ply includes a second fiber discontinuity. The first and second fiber discontinuities are generally aligned with each other such that one of the first and second fiber discontinuities substantially overlies the other of the first and second fiber discontinuities creating an ABI fuse region of the barrel portion. The ABI fuse region forms a crack initiation location when the bat is subjected to the accelerated break-in test.