Do you have two good radar guns of the same make and access to a stadium with an overhanging second level? If so you can make a contribution to sports science by performing a simple experiment.
ASMI has done a really excellent study comparing long toss, max distance long toss and short distance throwing. There's only one little glitch in the study. They had the person measuring the velocities standing behind the throwers roughly 10 yards behind them in all cases. This may have resulted in the max distance long toss velocities being under reported. That may or may not affect the conclusions of the study depending on how much the difference was.
There's an easy experiment that can be done to check the results, easy that is if one happens to have 2 good radar guns of the same make and access to a stadium with an overhanging 2nd level. College coaches?
Here's how it would be done:
1. Go up to the second level or other high spot close to the field (the higher the better) and measure how high up from the field a gun would be held.
2. Subtract 6.5 feet from that height.
3. Measure twice that distance from the gun along the ground and mark a spot there.
(Example: The measured height to a person standing on the second level, actually the height to the gun they are holding (just drop a tape measure down) is 26.5 feet. Subtract 6.5 feet (the approximate height of the release point) 26.5 feet - 6.5 feet = 20 feet. Measure twice that, 2 times 20 feet = 40 feet and mark a point on the field that is 40 feet along the ground from the gun in the stands.)
4. Place one person with a gun held chest high 10 yards behind the mark. Place the other person in the stands at the high spot.
5. Have a player with a fairly standard throwing motion crow hop and throw with their lead foot at or near the mark previously placed on the ground. The throw should be aimed directly at the gun up in the stands. Any throws arriving above the gun should not be be counted. Any throws arriving below the feet of the person holding the gun shouldn't be counted. That changes a bit as the ball is going to drop more if the gun is really high up. The throws should be firm but don't have to be in the 80s or 90s. Make 10 or more "good" throws and record the velocity for each throw as shown from the gun on the ground and from the gun in the stands.
(Example: Throw 1 - ground 65 mph, stands 67 mph;
Throw 2 - ground 70 mph, stands 68 mph;
...)
6. Switch the guns and repeat step 5. This is to make sure that one gun doesn't consistently read higher than the other.
There aren't going to be many people who have 2 good guns of the same make and ready access to a field with an overhanging second level or very steep stands but if you happen to be that person here's a chance to make a contribution to sports science.
If anyone does want to perform this study please send me a PM and I'll help with any questions about the setup. If by some chance you happen to be near Los Angeles/Ventura Counties I'd be happy to help with physically setting it up. I have a JUGS gun if somebody nearby has one JUGS and access to a stadium. If somebody nearby has a Stalker and access to a stadium we may be able to recruit BOF who I believe may have a Stalker.
Original Post
