If I reads the attachments to the BESR thread correctly, the testing performed on metal bats is done with a 70 mph thrown ball, and a 66 mph swing for the NCAA certification. Talk about a rigged test.....
If I read it correctly, is there some logical reason why they're using pitch and bat speeds that would be found at a low level high school JV game? Easier for the metal bats to look safe at lower speeds, no?
The HBO special on this included interviews with college coaches that had gunned balls coming off of metal bats in batting practice at speeds well in excess of 100 mph. I remember the comment being made that it is not humanly possible to react to a ball coming off the bat at those speeds.
As much as I love college football and baseball, why will it take a very visible death in each sport before the football gurus do something about helmets, and the baseball gurus do something about metal bats? When defensive linebackers are 265 pounds of muscle, running at a 4.4 pace, wearing a rock hard headgear, sooner or later a quarterback is going to be lost, and with balls coming off of bats at speeds in excess of 100 mph, sooner or later a pitcher will die. Both of my sons pitch and they love it. I pray it doesn't happen to mine or anybody else's, but it's infuriating to know that it WILL happen, and only then will reform happen.
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