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Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

If they are Rawlings OAL/ONL balls, I'll take a stab and guess that they were manufactured between the late 1970's-1999. League presidents would include MacPhail, Feeney, Coleman, Brown, White, Giamatti, Budig, etc. Rawlings baseballs manufactured within said time frame were produced using inferior hide. Most baseballs from this era have turned yellow or exhibit "spotting". There's nothing you can do to prevent it, although it does help that you are storing them out of any direct source of light. The modern Rawlings OMLB Selig balls are standing up much better, which is great news, although time will tell. The quality of leather currently being used is exponentially superior. I've also noticed that the hide on the OMLB balls appears to be grittier, grainier, if you will.