The speed of a pitched baseball is one of the most important criteria that baseball scouts use to rank prospective pitchers. Baseball scouts frequently measure the speed of a baseball as it crosses home plate. The average speed of a baseball thrown by a pitcher can also be estimated with commonly available equipment. This procedure will initially provide the speed of the baseball in feet per second, which can then be converted into miles per hour.
Step 1
Measure the baseball's travel time with a stopwatch. This will be the time that the baseball is in the air. Assume for this example that the baseball's travel time is 0.51 seconds.
Step 2
Measure the distance that the baseball travelled. This might be any distance, but is most often the distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate. This distance is 60-1/2 feet on a standard baseball diamond.
Step 3
Determine the baseball's average speed. This speed is determined by the equation V=D/T where V is the baseball's average speed in feet per second, D is the distance in feet and T is the travel time in seconds. In this example, V = 60.5 / 0.51 = 119 feet per second.
Step 4
Convert the baseball's average speed to miles per hour. This speed is given by the equation M=0.682 x V where M is the baseball's average speed in miles per hour and V is the speed in feet per second. In this example, M = 0.682 x 119 = 81 mph.
Step 5
Compute the baseball's average speed in miles per hour directly from its travel time and distance. This speed is given by the equation M = (D / T) * 0.682. In this example, M = (60.5 / 0.51) * 0.682 = 81 mph.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Stopwatch
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