Odd rubber ball (1900-1920)

[highnam]

Hey Tnet-
any help on this (rubber) ball found in a cedar shake mill Circa 1900-1920...
i have heard of women and kids in these mills, I have found evidence of women, but no kids. Perhaps this is something else. Pictured with a golf ball, I thought perhaps Gutta Percha golf ball, but I don't think it is now.
What says you?

 

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[pa plateau hiker]

The center of a baseball. We used to unstring them when we were kids.

 

[Rookster]

Looks to me to be the old style golf ball core where there was tight wound rubber bands for a core. These look to have gotten melted together.

 

[DCMatt]

The center of a baseball. We used to unstring them when we were kids.

Agree. The rest has rotted away.

I read that a rubber ball covered was used inside baseballs until about 1910. After that they began using cork centers.

 

[50bmg]

Agree. The rest has rotted away.

I read that a rubber ball covered was used inside baseballs until about 1910. After that they began using cork centers.

I use to take new ones apart in the late 70's and they had either red or black rubber balls in side them

 

[highnam]

Awesome. I just saw the response, I appreciate the help. I am thrilled to find evidence of baseball in these camps.
I found a glove button from a "Pennant Line" baseball glove a couple of years ago in a 1912 logging camp. Looks like the great American pastime extended to the woods.