Synopsis
An illustrated guide provides readers with an informative look at the workings of baseball, including warm-up tips, an overview of the physics of throwing the perfect pitch, and an explanation of using kinetic energy to swing and hit a ball with the best accuracy.An illustrated guide provides readers with an informative look at the workings of baseball, including warm-up tips, an overview of the physics of throwing the perfect pitch, and an explanation of using kinetic energy to swing and hit a ball with the bestaccuracy.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Keltie Thomas, a seasoned science writer and life-long sports fan is the former editor of OWL magazine and developer of the award-winning web site, Owlkids.com.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
How Does Baseball Work? Fans, players, and inquiring minds everywhere want to know!
What makes baseball such a great game? Why is the ball so flighty? What makes bats perform so smashingly? Do pitchers really have the edge over batters? What are the tools of ignorance, and why is baseball such a mind game? Just how do players' stats add up? What makes major-league grass greener? Does a curve ball really curve? How do pitchers get a grip...on the ball? How do hitters swing with such zing? How do pitchers and hitters work the count to psych each other out? And what exactly is the count, anyway?
Well, just like everything else on earth, it all comes down to science (plus a few things science hasn't managed to explain yet!). And if you think that makes baseball sound boring, you'd better check what planet you're on. But, hey, why don't you turn the page and check out the world of baseball in action for yourself. It doesn't matter whether you play baseball, softball, T-ball, or even none at all. If you want answers to those burning questions, tips on becoming a better player, the scoop on inside information, or just to have a blast with the game, this book's for you.
Legends of the Game: The Year of the Bat
Crack! The tell-tale sound of a home run repeated over and over throughout 1998. Sluggers Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire were smacking, whacking, and racking up long balls in the most explosive home-run race major-league baseball has ever seen.
At first there wasn't much of a race at all. McGwire had 29 homers at the end of May, while Sosa had just 13. But then Slammin' Sammy began closing in on Big Mac in a big way. He blasted 21 home runs in 30 days on a record-setting hitting streak. Soon the two sluggers where neck and neck, chasing Roger Maris's 37-year-old record of 61 home runs in a single season. Then, in the middle of August, Sammy belted out his 48th round-trip-per, moving ahead of Big Mac for the first time. But not for long. Later that day, Big Mac hit two homers.
In September, in a game the sluggers played against each other, Big Mac smashed the record. Slammin' Sammy hugged Mark in celebration and Big Mac lifted him off his feet. But the race between them kept on. By the end of the season, Slammin' Sammy hit 66 home runs, and Big Mac sped past him, cranking out a record-setting 70. And fans everywhere were left wondering, "Just how do they do that?"
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