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this player needs to consider the angle at which they throw the ball to maximize the distance and land it securely in their teammate’s mitt. The force of the throw begins the ball’s forward motion. Drag and gravity simultaneously slow the progress of the ball and pull it downward. For that reason, the ball must be thrown up and out at an angle. The degree of this angle and the amount of force put behind the throw are what will determine whether the ball falls short, soars past, or lands squarely in the glove of its target. The ball moves through the air in

Players make it look easy, but it takes a lot of practice to master the force and knowledge of angles needed to consistently make accurate throws.

the shape of a parabola, which is a type of mathematical curve. Too sharp of an angle with too little force results in a flat curve, which will have the ball hitting the ground before it reaches its target. Conversely, too wide an angle coupled with excessive force will send it sailing over the head of the player who needs it. The throw could go wrong in many ways. However, careful understanding of the mathematics of angles and the physics of aerodynamics gets the ball where it needs to be every time. The Technology That Is Changing Pitching One of the elements that most marks the twenty-first century is the advent of innovative technologies. It seems like every day some new advancement or discovery is made. Throwing in the games of baseball and softball is not immune to this.

CHAPTER 1 : THROWING

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