Today, athletic directors and facility managers nationwide recognize Bison Inc. as a premier manufacturer of commercial-grade basketball, volleyball, and soccer equipment. However, few realize that when Bison was founded in 1983, it launched as a single-product company dedicated entirely to baseball and softball.
As we officially launch our dedicated 2025 Baseball & Softball Equipment Catalog, we are not just entering a new market—we are returning to the exact sport that built the foundation of our company over 40 years ago.
The Origin Story: The Fielder’s Choice Equipment Caddy
In 1983—more than a decade before the rise of digital e-commerce and modern supply chains—Bison’s founders engineered a transport caddy designed for their own company softball team. Dubbed the Fielder’s Choice Equipment Caddy, it provided a rugged, organized way to haul bats, balls, and scorebooks to the diamond, replacing the dirty canvas duffle bags common at the time.
Without the internet to sell direct-to-consumer, Bison realized early on that long-term success required building a robust, trustworthy B2B dealer network supported by regional independent sales representatives.
A 40-Year Legacy of Dealer Trust
That strategic decision led Bison to partner with the Cole Harrell Group in the Southeast United States. They became Bison's very first representative group. Today, more than 40 years later, Derreck Cole—whose father co-founded the group—and over 20 other independent representatives continue to successfully distribute Bison’s extensive product lines nationwide.
While the Fielder’s Choice Caddy was retired in 1990, it established the core logistics, manufacturing standards, and dealer relationships that fuel Bison Inc. today.
Market-Driven R&D: The 2025 Baseball & Softball Expansion
For years, authorized Bison dealers and high school athletic directors have requested diamond sports infrastructure built to the same exacting safety and durability standards as Bison’s indoor gymnasium equipment.
In direct response to that market demand, Bison’s engineering team has spent the last year in intensive R&D to develop a comprehensive line of baseball and softball facility equipment.
Core Additions to the 2025 Catalog Include:
- Boundary & Outfield Structures: High-visibility modular foul poles and premium movable outfield fencing.
- Player Safety & Protection: Heavy-duty dugout padding, All Weather™ outfield wall padding, and custom foul-line protection.
- Training Infrastructure: Extreme™ commercial batting cages, Pitcher's L-screens, and heavy-duty mesh ball-capture nets.
The Bison Promise for Diamond Sports Facilities
Whether outfitting a municipal recreation complex or a collegiate ballpark, facility specifiers can now trust Bison to deliver the same commercial-grade quality, verifiable safety engineering, and reliable domestic shipping they have relied on for decades.
Bison extends its gratitude to the dealers and end-users who advocated for this expansion, and we look forward to supporting America's favorite pastime for the next 40 years.
To review the complete 2025 Baseball & Softball lineup, request a physical catalog, or provide feedback via our dealer survey, please contact your regional Bison Sales Representative or visit bisoninc.com.