Vibration damping bat and methods of making the same

A bat comprising:

• a handle having a proximate end and a distal end;
• a barrel having a hollow portion and an inner wall, the inner wall comprising a groove ring traversing a circumference of the inner wall of the barrel;
• a first damping section comprising rubber having a Shore hardness of approximately 70A to approximately 100A and comprising a protrusion ring traversing a circumference of an outer surface of the first damping section, wherein the first damping section is interposed between a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel and at least a portion of the protrusion ring is inserted into at least a portion of the groove ring;
• a second damping section comprising silicone having a Shore hardness of approximately 20A to approximately 40A, the second damping section having a first portion interposed between a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel and a second portion extending out of the hollow portion of the barrel;
• and
• a gap between a proximate edge of the first damping section and a distal edge of the second damping section,
• wherein at least a portion of the first damping section or at least a portion of the second damping section prevents the handle from directly contacting the barrel when the bat is at rest.

A method of manufacturing a bat, the method comprising:

• providing a handle having a proximate end and a distal end;
• providing a barrel having a hollow portion and an inner wall;
• providing a first damping section comprising a first material;
• attaching the first damping section to the handle nearer the distal end of the handle than the proximate end of the handle;
• providing a second damping section comprising a second material;
• attaching the second damping section to the handle nearer a proximate end of the handle than the first damping section;
• and
• inserting the handle, the first damping section, and at least a portion of the second damping section into the hollow portion of a barrel such that (i) the first damping section is at least partially interposed between, and in contact with, a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel and (ii) the second damping section is at least partially interposed between, and in contact with, a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the wall, and such that at least a portion of the first damping section or at least a portion of the second damping section prevents the handle from directly contacting the barrel.