Baseball Volume,Weight and Pitching Distance: Their Effects on “Little-Leaguer” Pitching Accuracy

Abstract

Three levels of baseball volume (21.2, 22.2, and 23.2 cm circumference) and three levels of baseball weight (71, 113.5, and 156 gm) were evaluated at three pitching distances (11.0, 13.7, and 16.5 m) to determine how these parameters affect “Little-Leaguer” pitching accuracy. Eighteen boys between the ages of 12 and 15 were randomly assigned to one of three groups (six boys per pitching distance) and threw each of the nine baseballs three times. Pitching accuracy, measured by the percentage of throws within a specified strike zone and by the distance each throw was from the target center, was affected by the main effects of pitching distance and baseball weight, and by interactions among pitching distance, baseball weight and volume. Although shortening the pitching distance produced the greatest increase in accuracy for this age group, accuracy was also significantly improved by reducing the weight of the ball by approximately 42 gms.