Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Fri Sep 22 23:56:58 2006

Hi Jack,

I have watch both football and baseball, though I my fascination lies within the respective scope of place-kicking and hitting. Although the overall scope of both sports might, from a surface perspective, seem incongruous in the respect that football privileges brute strength whereas baseball relies more on finesse, I could not help observing the historical amelioration of both smaller-scale aspects that I have previously mentioned. Specifically, I believe that both field goal-kicking and batting evolved as a result of both the kicker and hitter transitioning away from linear propulsion to rotational movement.

Although I am not antiquated enough to predate all soccer-style kickers, which I shall elaborate upon shortly, my date of birth did coincide with a point in time where straight-ahead kicking was the rule, rather thsn the exception. According to this approach, a burly individual would extend his leg stright from the rear end into the ball (note: size, back then was de facto for place-kickers, since it afforded them power). These individuals gave their teams a fair chance every time they kicked, since, a little more than half their kicks would succeed. Back then, these individuals could entrance the crowd's eyes with forty yard kicks. Although a misplaced hold would result in boots that would hook or slice the goal posts, good straight-ahead kickers managed to drive one through every now and then.

As time progressed, though, toe-kickers began becoming extinct. First and foremost, size was no longer a prequisite for power, since the more rapidly moving foot of a rotational kicker could develop more force over time than a straight-ahead specialists. Eventually, these kicker's proficiency also evolved with this new technique to the point where each kicker was expected to make four-fifths of his attempts. And unlike yesterday, one must consistently hit from forty yards to retain a job. Even the margin for error is greatly reduced, since the swath of the circular movement gets the whole foot into the ball, thereby preventing an unusually large margin for lapses in kicking accuracy.

Likewise, hitting used to be predicated upon the some priciples as place-kicking: a lumbering individual was once thought as the only individual capable of hitting home runs, since linear hitting requires a hitter to shift tremendous weight into the ball. Such an approach yielded 400+ feet home runs for these big fellows, an occasion in the past capable of making the event fit for a feature article. In the 1970's, for example, many of the main power hitters averaged one homer every twenty-five at-bats, and this frequency was considered proficient. During this day and age, people, recognizing the difficulty of slugging on a proficient basis, gave the hitter considerable leeway when a mishit rendered the popup.

It should be duly that such linear hitters are being buried in the same graves as linear hitters. Today, no person of small stature really cares how much credence the past gave to size, since they can accomplish commensurate power with rotational body mechanics. Unlike the past, a slugger is expected to hit balls 400+ feet consistently, since the improved rotational mechanics of today allow him to do so. The home run ratio has improved as well: modern hitters must average one home run every fifteen at-bats if they want to claim to be home run heroes. Even poorly contacted balls, given the nature of rotational mechanics, have a better chance of sailing over the fence than weight shift fundamentals.

Although the two respective sports that I alluded to might seem distal in many repects, they are linked by two areas--place-kicking and hitting--that have transitioned from linear to rotation movements. The evolutionary has provided four chief benefits in both sports, specifically that anyone can use them; that anyone can bolster their statistics by implementing them; that anyone can anhance their power by using them; that anyone can consistently turn mistakes in positive results by employing them. Viewed holistically, it is clear that rotational mechanics are more beneficial than weight shift fundamentals, and, therefore, must be practiced if one is to succeed at the highest echelon.

Sources used:

Mankin, Jack. "Batspeed.com."

Namath, Joe. "How to Play Your Best at Every Position."

Best Wishes to All,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com.

P.S. BHL is the Regent of Erudition and Black Holes.