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Throwing 100 yards...

NJPitcher06NJPitcher06100+ posts
I seem to remember hearing that throwing a baseball 100 yards roughly equates to 90mph (but if I'm wrong then the whole purpose of this post is waaaay negated). So anyways, in physics today we started working on projectile movement, so he had us go out to the football field and throw a baseball, and then time its time in the air. I managed to throw 95+ yards each of three times (now I hadn't long tossed in a while, but this was some 25+ yards better than I'd ever done), with my farthest being 98 yards, with a total air time of 3.53 seconds (there was absolutely no wind either). When we get back to class, we calculate how fast our baseballs were going using basic laws of projectile physics, and to my dismay my velocity was only 68mph...

The only thing that would really change this is if anyone could tell me what the average wind resistance this ball would encounter is...anyone know how much a ball slows down in the air, say in any given pitch? Thanks.
NJ Pitch
Last edited {1}
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A advisor100+ posts
hmmmmm...I had seen this
Speed Distance
40 mph 95 ft
50 mph 120 ft
60 mph 170 ft
70 mph 210 ft
80 mph 260 ft
90 mph 305 ft - Football field
100 mph 360 ft
Source: http://raincreekbooks.home.mindspring.com/questions.htm#radar

In Collegiate Baseball last month, Russell Cty Alabama, last years #1 HS team in the rankings, supposedly has 6 kids in their program who can hit 90 MPH - considering some estimates say there are only 60-70 in the whole country who can do that, those are crazy numbers...anyhow, the coach attributes the depth of arm strength to this players committment to strength training and ultra long toss, 100+ yards etc...they have a complete program, there is more to it than juicing goal post to goal post...
what was your formula?
Last edited by advisor
NJPitcher06NJPitcher06100+ posts
OK, here's how we did it. Assuming negligable wind resistance...

Remember, distance = (initial velocity)(time) + (acceleration/2)(time squared)

98 yards = (initial velocity in the x dimension)(3.53 seconds) (theres negligable acceleration in this diimension)

Solve for velocity to get 27.762 yrds/s horizontal

0 (end distance in the y dimension) = (initial velocity in the y dimension)(3.53 seconds) - ((10 2/3 yrds per second)/2)(3.53^2) <--- acceleration is negative, so we subtract

Solve for velocity to get an initial velocity of 18.8266 yrds/s vertically

then you take the inverse tangent of 18.8266/27.762, to find my angle of launch, which is 34.1429 degrees.

Then do the x speed/cos (34.1429) to find actual velocity, of 33.543 yrds/s, or 100.63 ft/s, or 68.6 mph.
FungoFungoHighly Regarded and Beloved Old Timer
NJ pitcher,
I’m no Einstein but the first thing that comes to my mind is you’re probably calculating the average speed over the linear distance which is quite different from the exit speed from your hand. The ballistic coefficient of a baseball is not very good because of its sectional density and shape its velocity will decrease rapidly after the force (your arm) is removed. Take the class for what it is and agree with the teacher. You also might want to invite that teacher out to watch a game next spring to see a real “heater”. Big Grin
Fungo
NJPitcher06NJPitcher06100+ posts
That's the thing.

These calculations use initial velocity, which is perfect for something like this. And I've never been clocked over 80...this would be by far the fastest I've ever thrown, and I haven't thrown in months. However my entire class washed me throw, and it clearly went 98 yards (294 ft)...weird, right? The previous school record (my physics teacher has been there for 20 some-odd years) was 96 yrds, and he was reluctant to admit I'd done it without wind (he didn't see my first throw), but the second throw was 98 yrds, and even he admitted there was no wind. All I can say is I'm confused, haha.
FungoFungoHighly Regarded and Beloved Old Timer
How can you say wind resistance is a fixed value when the formula for wind resistance is R= (CpAv^2)/2

Where C=The drag coefficient is subject to shape and friction between the medium (air) and the object.

p=The density of the medium (air).

A=The cross sectional area of the object.

v=velocity.

I say go to the radar gun! Big Grin
M micdsguy1,000+ posts
You surely didn't throw as a pitcher would from a set position on an imaginary rubber. Didn't you use something of a run-up to a line? That might add 10 MPH to your 80 MPH speed.

No wind? The ball would have approached an altitude of 150 feet where a tailwind--undetectable on the ground-- would have made a big difference.

By the way, the record for throwing a baseball the farthest, according to Guinness, is 446 feet, set by Glenn Gorbous about 50 years ago.
Last edited by micdsguy
FungoFungoHighly Regarded and Beloved Old Timer
Krakatoa,
Useless knowledge! I used to be involved in shooting sports, which includes target shooting, reloading, and experimenting with different cartridge combinations. The same forces that influence a thrown baseball are the same forces that are considered in bullet ballistics. Who knows, I may have be the one that coined the buzz word “gun” when one describes the strong arm of a baseball player. Big Grin
Fungo
H HiHardHeat1,000+ posts
Ok ... now you have to factor in the rate or rotation or spin you put on the ball in rpm ...

The tighter the rotation, the greater the boundry layer of air trapped against the ball and the less effect that drag has on it.

You've seen both a knuckle ball hit to the OF, a ball with top spin and a ball with backspin, so you know that putting backspin on the ball increases the distance it will travel (properties of rotating bodies in a fluid medium).

Then factor in the declination of the spin from the perpendicular.
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
AH yes-- all the tables, all the calculations and forumulas but now for the big question

Can the outfielder throw out the runner headed to third?
Can the infielder field the ball in the hole and throw out the batter?
Can the pitcher get batters out?

Why does ebverone want to make the game so technical?

You still gotta make the play
B bbscout1,000+ posts
I gave up trying to figure it out about 20 years ago. At that time, I had a young friend who was on the Cards 40 man roster. He had TJ surgery and was working hard and recovering well. He used to pitch at 91-93 and after many months of rehab, he would go through a long toss program and at the end of his recovery, he could toss the ball about 110 yards on the fly. We put him on the mound, and over the next 3 months, he never got his fastball above 84mph. Confused Prior to the injury, he would always play long toss, but he told me that he could never throw the ball the length of the football field as he did after the surgery. Confused He never did get the fastball back, but he could long toss with the best.
NJPitcher06NJPitcher06100+ posts
Don't take this topic the wrong way guys, I had just remembered that conversion chart, and seeing as this was our lab I decided to check it out, and the discrepancy caught my eye.

And for those who question if I bring it to the mound, this is just as much for my outfield play as it is for my pitching, and I was just wondering the conversion. Simple question, wondered if anyone knew the answer, lol.

And hey, why not have some fun with the physics of the game?
Last edited by NJPitcher06
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
advisor

It really matters not what physics and some chart tells you --it is what happens between the lines.

A player can only do what his body permits him to not what chart says---why do two pitchers both the same size throw different speeds? considering the mechanics to be equal it has to do with the body can do and both bodies are different.

Keep in mind that "numbers" can me made to say what you want them to say.

To me baseball is not as difficult as people are trying to make it out to be and "numbers' just seem to muddy the waters for parents and kids

If the charts were right every pitcher in MLB would throw like every othert pitcher of his weight and height-- Does every pitcher the similar size of Billy Wagner throw like him?
Last edited by TRhit

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