Dave Phillips ‘99 supplies Major League Baseball’s sticky stuff

For Dave Phillips ‘99, the path from playing in a punk band to supplying Major League Baseball (MLB) has been an unconventional journey. A journey fueled by an insatiable drive to create something meaningful. As the owner of Pelican Bat Wax and the sole provider of rosin bags for MLB, Dave has merged his passions for baseball and entrepreneurship in an unexpected way.

Dave credits his time at CRMS for instilling a sense of independence that empowered him to chase his interests freely. “CRMS allows students to be independent and follow whatever path really excites them,” he shares. “The road out of a lot of schools is very narrow, but at CRMS there were huge opportunities to explore different avenues.” This openness made a lasting impact, giving Dave the courage to start businesses like his initially-planned surf wax company without fear of constraints.

Influential faculty like Mark Clark and George Weber helped shape Dave’s creative outlets at CRMS. “Mark got me excited about surfing. After CRMS I’d drive to the beach multiple times a day to catch waves,” Dave recounts. George’s music classes, foregoing traditional instruction for hands-on band experience, fueled Dave’s punk rock dreams. “I was obsessed with forming a band I could take on tour. George let us learn songs we liked and play them at school shows.” While music was his first love, baseball eventually became Dave’s obsession after moving to San Francisco.

In California, Dave played in a band, printed t-shirts, surfed, and got more into baseball. On the side, he toyed with trying make surf wax. The ritual of putting wax on his surf board and his baseball bat led to attempting to make a universal wax for both. That failed miserably. He did find success in making bat wax and rosin bags – small pouches filled with rosin powder, a sticky substance. Baseball pitchers use the bags to improve grip on the ball and reduce moisture on hands. 

In 2022 Major League Baseball needed an official rosin bag solution amid controversies around sticky substances. Dave saw his window. “I reached out to the Giants’ equipment staff about pitching an idea to help MLB,” he recalls. “Before I knew it, I was on a Zoom call with MLB Baseball Operations feeling incredibly nervous but determined.” His grit paid off. About a year later MLB named Pelican Bat Wax their sole rosin bag manufacturer – an immense opportunity requiring Dave to grow exponentially in just two weeks before Opening Day.

“Those first couple weeks were mayhem – I didn’t know if I could pull it off,” Dave admits. “But the independence CRMS instilled allowed me to handle the chaos. Once [MLB] teams realized I was just a guy working in baseball like them, everything became manageable.” Today Pelican Bat Wax is a one-man operation supplying official rosin bags to every MLB team from a warehouse not far Oracle Park where the San Francisco Giants play.

When not working Dave plays on a vintage baseball team that uses 1886 rules and wears throwback wool uniforms.

For Dave, the most rewarding part is his consuming passion coming to life. “You have to find that one pursuit you can’t let go of – once you know, you have to be resilient and obsessive. The uncomfortable parts make you stronger on the other side.” His rosin bags may seem minor, but representing a childhood ambition on MLB’s grandest stage is Dave’s dream realized.

Looking ahead, Dave hopes to eventually migrate back towards the mountains that shaped his CRMS experience. But for now, tapping into that entrepreneurial spirit CRMS nurtured will keep him grinding, creating, and  leaving his mark on America’s pastime.