Actually, Naemanson, in professional (major-league) baseball in the USA and Canada, the average life of a ball is about 4 pitches. It usually gets hit into the stands and they have to drag out a new one. Occasionally the umpire will determine that one is too beat up to continue playing with (who said they're not humane?!) and insist a fresh one be brought into play, and the bruised ball is retired from the game.

Alex
O..O
=o=