A STUDY OF THE RELATIVE AMOUNT OF TIME
OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PITCHED BALLS

BY JAMES D. KENNY

In order to throw some light upon the question of the amount of time consumed in throwing a ball overhand,
underhand and sidearm, this experiment was performed.

APPARATUS

1. A Synchronous Timer measuring time in hun- 5. Arubber glove to prevent a shock.
dredths of a second.
6. Twenty-five feet of single strand copper wire

2. A make relay and a break relay.
and twenty feet of rubber coated wire.

3. A target 3 feet by 4 feet made of triple weight

Caen 7. Six dry cell batteries.
4. A regulation baseball to which a small piece of
tin foil was attached so that a complete circuit was 8. Aluminum foil.

made when the ball was held by the pitcher.

PROCEDURE

The Timer is hooked to a 110 volt source and the pitcher grasps the ball thus forming a complete circuit
and also keeping the break relay open. At the same time the relay in the target circuit is on the make because of
a complete circuit established by a piece of aluminum foil which connects the ends of the wires. As a result the
target relay is closed and the ball relay open as the pitcher prepares to deliver the ball. When the ball is released,
the ball relay circuit is broken and the Timer starts. The ball on hitting the canvas tears the aluminum foil and
stops the clock.

Twenty-one members of high school, college, amateur, semi-professional and professional teams took part in
this experiment. All the subjects were pitchers. Seven were natural overhand throwers, seven natural sidearm
throwers and seven natural underhand throwers.

The men were cautioned to throw as hard as possible on every pitch. Each participant threw five overhand
fast, five overhand curve, five sidearm fast, five sidearm curve, five underhand fast and five underhand curve.
If a man indicated he was becoming fatigued, the experiment was stopped and he reported on another day to
continue.

This experiment was conducted in the basement of a gymnasium which had a dirt floor. It was felt that
atmospheric conditions would be the same from day to day inside. A home plate and pitching rubber were inserted
sixty feet six inches apart which is regulation pitching distance.

RESULTS
1. Average time of subjects overhand fast was 4. Average time of overhand curve was .651
.582 (+.0047) seconds. (+.0053) seconds.
2. Average time of sidearm fast was .596 (*.0056) 5. Average time sidearm curve was .660 (+.0057)
seconds. seconds.
3. Average time of underhand fast was .628 6. Average time underhand curve was .686 (*+.0054)

(+.0051) seconds. seconds.