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Laser Baseball
Does It Work?...The Laser Ball (WANE, July 30, 2003) Nick Otte is the assistant baseball coach at IPFW and one of the winningest pitchers ever at Indiana University. While it's been three years since he pitched at I-U, Nick can still bring the heat. The speed gun used to measure that 86 mile per hour ball of fire has a hefty 750 dollar price tag.
But, coach Billy Gernon says it's critical to separating the contenders from the pretenders. Coach says, "That gun doesn't lie and really tells you what kind of arm strength a kid has." But, can another gadget do the same job for a fraction of the price? It's called the Laser Ball...price, 30 dollars.
It looks like a baseball, but has a digital readout that's supposed to tell you how fast it's been thrown. So, after setting the right throwing distance...60 feet, we put it in Nick Otte's hands. The first rocket...81 miles an hour on the gun...so, what does the ball say?
78. Not bad. The next pitch...83 miles an hour on the gun...79 on the laser ball.
Again, very close. And, when you consider the fact that this gun tends to measure a bit high...the ball is practically right on. For Coach Gernon, it came as quite a curve ball.
Coach says, "I was surprised to be honest with you, how accurate it was. I figured at that price range, there would be a greater variance between the gun and the ball. So, I was kinda surprised." One downside, though...there's no way to replace the battery.
The folks at Sharper Image "claim" it'll last you ten years. You also can buy a two-year warranty. It'll cost you six dollars, but it's alot cheaper than having to buy another ball if the battery dies.
You can get you own Laser Ball by calling [Sharper Image] at 800-344-4444. It'll cost you $30, plus about $10 for shipping and tax.David Scott, ReporterWANE TVFort Wayne, INAdvanced circuitry instantly displays speed of pitch in mph upon impact. Standard size, shape, weight and feel of a regulation baseball.
Measures pitching speed up to 120 mph.Click |
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