REFERENCES
1.
G. S.
Sawicki
, M.
Hubbard
, and E. J.
Stronge
, “How to hit home runs: Optimum baseball bat swing parameters for maximum range trajectories
,” Am. J. Phys.
71
(11
), 1152
–1162
(2003
).2.
R. K. Adair, The Physics of Baseball (HarperCollins, New York, 2001), 3rd ed.
3.
In the first part of the 20th century, there were often throwing contests between games of Sunday double headers. The winners would sometimes throw the ball a distance approaching 400 ft, although a 380 ft throw would sometimes win the prize. The record, set by Glenn Gorbous, in Omaha in 1957, is 446 ft (see p. 104, Ref. 2). You can be sure that the throw at the Omaha altitude of 1040 ft was on a hot day with a following breeze—the ranges were always set so that the players threw with the wind—adding at least 30 ft to that for standard conditions.
4.
R. G.
Watts
and R.
Ferrer
, “The lateral force on a spinning sphere: Aerodynamics of a curve ball
,” Am. J. Phys.
55
, 40
–44
(1987
).5.
C.
Frohlich
, “Aerodynamic drag crisis and its possible effect on the flight of a baseball
,” Am. J. Phys.
52
(4
), 325
–334
(1984
).6.
See Figs. 2.1 and 2.2 in Ref. 2.
7.
Reference 2, p. 24.
8.
L. J.
Briggs
, “Effects of spin and speed on the lateral deflection (curve) of a baseball and the Magnus effect for smooth spheres
,” Am. J. Phys.
27
, 589
–596
(1959
).
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2004 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2004
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.
