Unfortunately, you are using an out of date browser which is not fully compatible. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
How about use a pc. of plexi for glazing and having the ball crashing thru the plexi into the mask. Drill a hole for the ball so it is half in and half out and add some radiating cracks from the ball breaking thru the plexi.
I have emailed a place that sells synthetic grass! Not the ugly plastic kind but the stuff that looks real for gardens and yards They give away free samples, but I inquired about buying like 2 square feet!
I am going to stop by a place today and see if I can get it from a retailer - about $5 a square foot.
I figured the mask in a shadow box made out of white ash and sealed to look like baseball bat wood and using the "gass" as the lining for the box.
Thanks for the info Baer. Have not measured so I dont know how deep, but it will either be one of those frames or if too deep an ash vermont hardwoods.
Thanks for the advice on the frame
Now gotta find some grass
Also had the idea of going out to the local ball park (john actually played here in single A) and getting some of the sand / dirt mixture they use on the infield. Make a small acylic box (non glare on front) with like a 1/4 in of space and fill it with the sand and use that as the background.
Mask could easily be supported from bottom or using acrylic standoffs.
Now I am thinking about perhaps doing the bottom half of the frame with the "grass" and the top half in the dirt
They give away free samples, but I inquired about buying like 2 square feet! 
