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For instance, Pedro Martinez used it masterfully to delight the hometown crowd at the 1999 Major League Baseball All-Star game in Fenway Park when he buckled the knees of fearsome slugger, Sammy Sosa. Of course, it helps to be able to follow up a bender like that with a 97-mph fastball, which is a whole different set of science that involves leg drive, arm angle, and the whipping action of the ball toward the plate. THE FOREHAND SMASH Tennis fans marvel at how the world’s top-ranked players can manipulate the Magnus effect to achieve a wicked topspin that results in serves approaching 150 miles per hour mph. Although some debate exists over who has clocked the fastest serve on record, Andy Murray has been documented as hitting the ball at a ridiculous 145 mph back in 2007. Throwing a curve ball requires a rotation in the wrist and a snapping action in the forearm, which creates an inherent risk for injury, particularly around the elbow. Therefore, it’s recommended for youth pitchers to exclusively throw fastballs and changeups until the age of fourteen. At that point, a young person’s arm is usually strong enough to withstand the rigors associated with throwing a curve ball. Little League and high school coaches, especially, should monitor the physical abilities of young athletes carefully to ensure they’re not throwing curve balls before their arms can withstand the stress. This accentuates the value of good coaching for young athletes. THE VALUE OF GOOD YOUTH COACHING

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