Whether it is a softball, baseball, or wiffle ball, its destiny is to be hit by a batter during a game, and that batter’s skills are honed over years of practice. A batter needs to practice hitting difficult pitches over and over again to be able to master knocking them out of the park. This necessitates a partner with the ability to throw a pitch the same way every time in order for the batter to master hitting that specific type of pitch. With the understanding that such a partner is extremely difficult if not impossible to find, a machine was invented to produce a consistent pitch every time. It is commonly accepted that the first pitching machine was invented by Charles Hinton at Princeton University in the late 1890′s, and was powered by gunpowder. Since then, the technology has improved greatly, and the variety of machines available has increased exponentially.
Today a wide variety of pitching machines are available to suit anyone’s needs and budget, from the $40-$50 price range to the $4000-$5000 price range. Some machines are hand-fed and shoot one ball at a time, which still requires a partner, but a much less qualified one. Others can hold a varying number of balls and pitch them at an adjustable rate of speed, automating the entire process and letting the batter focus entirely on their batting. These machines can have features such as variable speed, angle, and spin. Different types of machines use different mechanisms to achieve the desired result.
The most commonly used device is the wheel method, which feeds the ball between either a high speed wheel and a hard surface, or two high speed wheels which propel the ball forward at an adjustable speed.
Another method makes use of a scoop that flings the ball and more closely imitates a real pitcher’s throw, and can be adjusted in a similar manner to other machines for differing velocity, angle, and pitch frequency.
Whatever your needs, modern technology has created a mechanized pitching partner sure to satisfy your practice demands.