QUESTION: Softball Speed VS Baseball Speed

[gogobal]

Does anyone know the calculation for the speed of a softball versus baseball. Another words, if a softball is being thrown at 55MPH what would the actual speed be if it were a baseball?
The distance being the SAME, I am writing an article and cannot find the information any where on the Internet - Thanks for your wonderful insight.

[BretMan]

Ummmm...55 miles per hour.

If something is traveling 55 mph, it is traveling 55 mph if it is a baseball, a softball, a golf ball or a banana...

Now, the time it takes to travel a given distance will be shorter if the distance is shorter!

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Ummmm...55 miles per hour.

If something is traveling 55 mph, it is traveling 55 mph if it is a baseball, a softball, a golf ball or a banana.

Oh yeah einstein?
What about a jet plane going 55 mph vs a softball going 55 mph?

Bet ya dont know that one.

[BretMan]

No, but I do know which is heavier: A ton of feathers or a ton of bricks!

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Oh yeah einstein?
What about a jet plane going 55 mph ...

One of three things:

1) It is on the ground, or
2) It is about to head there whether the pilot wants to or not, or
3) It is flying into a heck of a head wind (assuming you are talking about ground speed)

[Skahtboi]

While we are working on complicated math problems, maybe one of you geniuses can help me with this one.

Two umpires start two games at exactly the same time. Also, two trains, one in Philadelphia heading west and one in Chicago heading east, both travelling at 65 mph leave at exactly the same time the games the umpires are umpiring started. One umpire has excellent game management skills, while the other allows teams to lolligag around while he and his partner discuss the hot moms in the stands. As a result, the lolligagging umpire ends up with a game that is tied at the end of regulation, and must go into ITB. The train from Philadelphia is aided by a headwind of 25 MPH. Now, considering all of this information, what time is beer thirty?

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

While we are working on complicated math problems, maybe one of you geniuses can help me with this one.

Two umpires start two games at exactly the same time. Also, two trains, one in Philadelphia heading west and one in Chicago heading east, both travelling at 65 mph leave at exactly the same time the games the umpires are umpiring started. One umpire has excellent game management skills, while the other allows teams to lolligag around while he and his partner discuss the hot moms in the stands. As a result, the lolligagging umpire ends up with a game that is tied at the end of regulation, and must go into ITB. The train from Philadelphia is aided by a headwind of 25 MPH. Now, considering all of this information, what time is beer thirty?

Scott,
That's the easiest question I've ever seen on a board. Answer = NOW.

[gogobal]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Ummmm...55 miles per hour.

If something is traveling 55 mph, it is traveling 55 mph if it is a baseball, a softball, a golf ball or a banana...

Now, the time it takes to travel a given distance will be shorter if the distance is shorter!

The distance being the SAME, I am writing an article with Softball FAQ and cannot find the information any where on the Internet. I have asked several people, umpires, coaches, directors etc and everyone agrees that their is a calcualtion but no one seems to know the answer. Thanks Any Way.

[wadeintothem]

Ah just goofin around.. that was funny though!!

There are some calculations here .. essentially 60 mph = 90 mph

http://www.abington.k12.pa.us/bujaem.../previous/Math in softball.ppt

some smart kid put that together.

[semperfiguy]

Whats the old bar adage--at 10:00 she is a 2 but at 2:00 she is a 10!!

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by semperfiguy

Whats the old bar adage--at 10:00 she is a 2 but at 2:00 she is a 10!!

well then theres..

I never had me a 10.. but I sure had 5 good 2's!!

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Ah just goofin around.. that was funny though!!

There are some calculations here .. essentially 60 mph = 90 mph

http://www.abington.k12.pa.us/bujaem.../previous/Math in softball.ppt

some smart kid put that together.

The correct link is:

http://www.abington.k12.pa.us/bujaem...20softball.ppt

This is indeed a Power Point presentation and is an interesting comparison of softball and baseball.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by GrumpUmp

The correct link is:

http://www.abington.k12.pa.us/bujaem...20softball.ppt

This is indeed a Power Point presentation and is an interesting comparison of softball and baseball.

yeah thats it, thanks!

[Stu Clary]

Originally Posted by gogobal

...and everyone agrees that their is a calcualtion...

I don't know about that, but I'd guess that there is a calculation.

[WestMichBlue]

Originally Posted by gogobal

The distance being the SAME, I am writing an article with Softball FAQ and cannot find the information any where on the Internet. I have asked several people, umpires, coaches, directors etc and everyone agrees that their is a calcualtion but no one seems to know the answer. Thanks Any Way.

The distance is NOT the same. Softball is pitched at 40' or 53' or 46' or whatever. Baseball is pitched at 60'. But a SB moving at 55mph at any distance is moving at the same speed as a BB thrown at 55mp, regardless of the distance. Duh!

What you need to do is ask the right question. You are looking for reaction time; how much time does a SB batter have to see the pitch vs a BB batter with a ball thrown at an equivalent speed. Your question should be:

If a softball traveling at 55mp pitched from 40' gets to the plate in X seconds, what speed does a baseball travel to get to the plate in the same time.

So: SB at 55mph X 5,280'/3600 sec = 80.67 f/s /40' = 2.02 sec X 60' X 3600 / 5280 = 82.5mph BB pitch.

However - a SB pitcher will release the pitch 5' to 7' in front of the plate, while a BB pitcher releases the pitch 3' to 4' in front of the plate. A SB batter stands in the front of the box while a BB batter stands in back, another 5' difference.

So you need to compare a SB traveling about 32' vs a BB traveling about 58'.

Simple ratio, as NewNCref noted: 55 / 32 x 58 = 99.7 mph.

OK?

WMB