Would mandated regulations for bat usage at all levels of baseball provide a safer environment for the sport and reduce costs. Decades of debating over these questions leaves people in disagreement. When it comes to discussing the use of metal bats from Little League to the Majors cost, safety, and performance are among the currently most heavily debated topics, with wide spread disagreement among people in the industry. Complicating the debates, especially the safety debate, is the fact that little scientific, researched based, safety studies have been conducted.
When determining the safety of metal bats there are two assumptions that one must consider. batted ball aluminum bats perform……) states these assumptions as follows: “Assumption #1: Baseballs hit by players swinging metal bats travel at extremely high speeds, well in excess of the speeds that could be achieved if the same player were swinging a wood bat.” Many people in baseball believe the difference in speed can be as great as 20 mph. Russell’s second assumption states, “Pitchers do not have enough time to react to line drives from metal bats, but would have enough time to react from a line drive from a wood bat.” Those factors assumed, the argument can definitely be made that metal bats do indeed impose a safety risk. Needless to say, assumptions must be supported with scientific studies and data.
This is where the problem arises. One would think that in today’s world, safety would be of the upmost importance; resulting in numerous, high quality, scientific, safety studies. However, despite the high level of controversy over the safety of metal bats due to the batted ball speed, few scientific studies have been conducted to compare the batted ball speed di...
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...Debate over metals on the upswing." Sports Business Journal (2007): n. pag. Web. 16 Feb 2010.
Russell, Daniel. "Why Aluminum Bats Can Perform Better Than Wood Bats." http://paws.kettering.edu/-drussell/bats-new.alumwood.html. 2003. Web. 16 Feb 2010.
Russell, Daniel. "Should Metal Baseball Bats Be Banned Because They are Ingerently Dangerous?." http://paws.kettering.edu/-drussell/bats-new.bansafety-.html. 2007. Web. 16 Feb 2010.
"When Will Baseball Tame Broken Bats? ." http://www.popsci.com/score/article/2008-05/when-will-baseball-tame-broken-bats. 2010. popsci, Web. 16 Feb 2010.
Volti, Rudi. "Aluminun Baseball Bats." The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Science, And Technology. New York: 1999. Print.
Zieglar, Terry. "Debate Over Aluminum Bats Continues." http://sportsinjuries.suite101.com/article.cfm/debate_over_aluminum_bats_continues. 2009. Web. 16 Feb 2010.
Seifman, David. “Pols Would Toss Metal Bats From Kid Games.” New York Post.com. 28 Jun. 2001. 5 Apr. 2002 http://www.foxnews.com
Or maybe alloy bats and composite bats The middle of the ball is called the “Cork”. The core of the ball is made of long fiber kapok, in 2004 high-visibility yellow optic covering. Alloy bat son the other hand, are thinner and have more responsive barrels. Alloy bats are also more durable because they are made of aluminum. Composite bats are made of a carbon fiber,graphite, and fiberglass, and some also have kevlar. Kevlar is a synthetic fiber of high tensile strength used especially as a reinforcing agent in the manufacture of tires and other rubber products and protective gear such as helmets and vests. There are many different parts of the bats which is a big part to make the player and who they are on the field. There is a knob which is the very base of the bat. Directly above that there is the grip for the players so they can grip the bat on the handle. Above the grip there is the barrel of the bat where the ball hits, it is also the thickest part of the baton top of that is the end cap on the end of the bat.
Albert G. Spalding created the first major league baseball glove. “Wearing a glove just wasn’t manly” said Smithsonian. It used to be that the strongest player on the field was whoever had the most broken fingers or blisters, but after a while, players realised they
The game of baseball can be divided into three broad categories: hitting, pitching, and defense. No other facet of the game gets as much attention as hitting. For example, every year the MLB puts on a home run derby. No other part of the game draws as much attention. The traditional statistic that measure hitting ability is batting average (BA or AVG). To find a players batting averag...
They are also know as mouse-eared bats. The little brown bats being one of the most common bat species in most of the United States and Canada have many interesting and unique characteristics that set them far apart from other animals. Unfortunately, with a disease called white-nose syndrome bat populations have been on the decline. With the species being threatened it is even more important to fully understand the little brown bat and all of its habits and characteristics.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the softball swing anatomically, mechanically, and analytically. By analyzing each move one makes when...
Its America’s pastime. Since 1869, the MLB has been the sweetheart of American sports. A requisite to be a true American is to have a conceptual understanding of baseball; the seventh inning stretch, “Take Me Out To The Ball Game,” as well as hotdogs and warm summer nights at the ball park are all favorite memories of American pastime. However, what one might not realize is the extreme physics behind the game. The velocity of the pitch, and degree of the ball exiting the bat, the exit speed, and how an outfielder throws are entailed within the physics of baseball. It is important to understand the physics involved with baseball to grow in understanding and appreciation of the sport.
In American football, helmets are required to decrease traumatic brain injuries and have been successful in doing so. A large part in the success of helmet design is improvements in technology. The sizes of athletes have gone up to make football more dangerous. To protect against brain injury, helmets designs have changed to become heavier and wider, filled within the space are energy absorbing materials, air space and padding to protect the skull upon impact. Originally, helmets were designed to prevent only traumatic brain injuries, but technology is advancing to fill the gap of concussions. Until recently, the seriousness of concussions were not considered part of the equation that needed to be addressed, so manufactures did not utilized in constructing helmets to address this issue (Post et al. 653). Upon predicting risk of concussions in tests, by themselves linear and rotational acceleration are not suitable measurements for modern helmets. These testing measurements do not address the rotational forces and minor hits to the brain which are associated with concussions (Post et al. 654). Given the seriousness of concussions in contact sports, more attention is given to prevent and reduce concussions through testing methods and advancing technology, stronger regulation and changes to the sport. As stated in the article involving the National Football League (NFL), “The risk involved in playing sports are also very real. The NFL is struggling with serious mental and physical health problems because they sustained repeated mild traumatic brain injuries, is what concussions are called. (“Concussions and Marketing of Sports Equipment” 6).
Since the sport first emerged, baseball and America have shared the same values, responded to the same events, and struggled with the same social and economic issues. To learn of the ideals concerning the sport of baseball in America, is to know the heart and mind of America. Baseball developed before the Civil War but did not achieve professional status until the 1870s (The Baseball Glove, 2004). In 1871, the National Association of Professional Baseball Players was formed. Unfortunately, the organization ran into financial hardships and was abandoned in 1875.
Aluminum bats are more durable then wood bats. They are also lighter than wood bats which means the ball coming off the bat will be faster then when it was pitched. Aluminum bats are hollow and wood bats are solid. The wood bat can go just as far an a aluminum bat but the wood bat is heavier then the aluminum bat. Aluminum bats can move a lot faster then when they were first made but the advancements in making the bats have come a long way since then so aluminum bats can hit farther then wood bats because they made them better. Aluminum bats have a bigger sweet spot then wood bats so it is harder to hit the ball farther then if you don't use the sweet spot it makes it harder to hit, if you don't use the sweet spot it will not be a very good hit ball. The sweet spot is the center at which the ball produced the least osculation which gives the maximum output and the ball will travel further. In 1986 they started to put weight limits on bats because the bat performance and impact with aluminum bats were having on the games it allowed grater bat swing speed and better bat control.
Contact sports in America, like football and boxing, carry a rich history of the spirit of the game, and the feeling of victory. These games bring us together as we cry out and cheer for our team or fighter as they deliver the winning touchdown, or the knockout that brings them the undisputed champion belt. However, these players are facing injuries that can destroy their career and affect their brain for the rest of their lives. We shouldn’t outlaw contact sports, but we should force safety to become more important. If we want to keep our players safe and continue the tradition of the contact sports we enjoy as a country, then we must evolve our safety in sports, and change the way we view contact sports as a country.
American football is full of exciting competition, but do we realize the danger! Helmet safety in football remains an immense problem as the sport accounts for the highest incidence of concussions. Since leather football helmets, the technology for safer helmets has improved drastically and continue to improve. The development of newly designed helmets and technology has lowered the risk of head injuries for players. Furthermore, improvements in helmet testing methods have led to better understanding head injuries and the protectiveness of the helmet. In respect, football helmet safety still remains a challenge, such as a necessity of a proper categorization system to rank helmets and regulations to improve helmet safety. Regardless, standards and regulations attempt to address helmet safety through government intervention and a proper measuring system for football helmets. Despite the cultural perception of football, measures are taken to ensure safety, such as the reforms and education with regards to playing safer football. I intend to address the technological advances and regulation of football towards the discussion of helmet safety. Therefore the aggresivity in football’s culture should embrace stronger helmet standards and regulation that are promoted through improved testing methods and innovations because of the need to prevent further dangerous head injuries, especially concussions.
This game of a stick and ball has captivated the United States during good and bad times. In either time most of us today can remember stories of players from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. These are legendary figures in the sport of baseball that have are celebrated as hero’s and in scandal, i...
Across numerous sports in the world, helmets are a staple of safety. Assumed to be a benefit, most athletes do not consider the risks of a helmet; both mental and physical risks. Society tells us that no matter what; a helmet will be safer than being exposed to harmful elements. There is also the idea that helmets are beneficial, but the way athletes use them causes more injuries than if a helmet had not been used at all. This culture, using your helmet as a tool, encourages more risky behavior for helmet wearers. Adventure writer and pilot, Lane Wallace argues that football culture is to blame for current helmet use, and that helmets are beneficial in her article “Do Sports Helmets Help or Hurt?” In his article “Disposable Heroes”, Neurologist David Weisman reasons that the worst helmets might be a better solution than better helmets.