HITTERS' REACTION TIME Dec. 92

Bob Tomlinson was kind enough to invite us to watch it, which we did. Now, it was no surprise to see that Peter Meridith hurled faster thanany other pitcher in the tournament.

The speed gun indicated that Meridith's top speed was 86 miles/hour. Now, keep in mind that it is 46 feet from the front edge of the pitching rubber to the rear point of home plate, which is the intersection of the first and third base lines, and there is an 8-foot radius circle marked off on the ground from the center of the pitcher's rubber, which is called the pitcher's circle.

When Meridith is pitching, following his legal leap (a crow hop is illegal), his foot is on that circle so when he releases the ball, it is 38 feet from the rear point of home plate.

Let's compare the hitter's reaction time in fastpitch against Meridith to a baseball hitter trying to hit Nolan Ryan's 95 miles/hr. fastball. For this comparison, let's ignore the curves, drops, rise balls, control, etc. Also, some hitters' bats meet the ball closer to the pitcher than others, depending on their final stance as the bat meets the ball. No hitter's bat meets the ball at the rear point of home plate. It is always farther forward, but for this comparison we will say it does.

In baseball, as you know, it is 60 ft. 6 in. from the front edge of the pitcher's rubber to the rear point of home plate. Ryan, after his windup, steps 5 ft. toward home plate when he releases the ball.

The Speed Comparisons

Meridith: 86 miles/hr. x 5280 ft./mile, divided by 3600 sec./hr. = 126 ft./sec.

Ryan: 95 miles/hr. x 5280 ft./mile, divided by 3600 sec./hr. = 139 ft./sec.

Remember, Meridith is 38 ft. and Ryan is 55 1/2 ft. respectively from the rear point of home plate when the ball is released.

So we have --

Meridith: 38 ft. divided by 126 ft./sec. = 0.302 seconds

Ryan: 55 1/2 ft. divided by 139 ft./sec. = 0.399 seconds

The fastpitch hitter has 0.097 sec. or about 1/10 of a second less time to react
than a baseball hitter.

Of course when the ball and bat collide somewhere in front of the rear point of home plate, the reaction time of the hitter has to be a little quicker than the above figures in both cases.

The smart managers and batters in both sports study the pitcher and can pick up little differences in stance or how he holds the ball in the glove, or the motion of his hand or glove or other body parts before or during the delivery of the ball. They now know if it is a fast ball, a rise ball, a drop, a curve ball or change up, etc., then make mental adjustments, step, and swing in about 3/10 sec. in fastpitch, and about 4/10 sec. in baseball.

As Casey would say, "It's amazing." By the way, the catchers, indicated by the Speed Gun, toss the ball back to the pitcher between 35 and 45 mi./hr.

Is it any wonder there are more strike outs and no-hitters in fastpitch than in baseball even though fastpitch is 7 innings and baseball is 9 innings?

Looking on page 20 of the 1992 I.S.C. World Championship Guide that Miles Stark, I.S.C. Exec. Director was so kind to send us last summer, there were 2 players that hit .500 in the 1991 I.S.C. World Tournament at Sioux City, Iowa:
Tim Wahl of Penn. Corp. and Richie Pfaff of Class Walls. Also 16 other players hit .400 or better. That also is amazing, isn't it?
 ----Jack Addison

via James Addison
mailto:jimbetty@mindspring.com