Posted by: Black Hole Lexicographer (Knight1285@aol.com) on Sun Apr 2 22:16:31 2000

Dear Jack,
I have clearly outlined two fictional baseball characters, since my query cannot be confined to a brief sentence. The reason for the creation is to discover whether a 5 foot 9 inch individual who weighs 201 pounds is stronger than a 5 foot 9 inch 145 pounder.

Let us suppose "lack of strength" is not a confounding variable, and both individuals can bench press 400 pounds, with the only difference being is that one individual's weight exceeds 200 pounds.

Also, let us suppose that both individuals swing the same size bat (i.e., length and weight) have the same swing velocity (at 99 mph), supply an equal amount of centrifugal (really centripital force) in the form of torque, and have the same degree of upswing (approximately fifteen degrees), and both like a waist-high fastball.

Now, suppose the heavier individual swung at a fastball thrown right over the plate, and hit the ball 501 feet. Given all these details, I would have to conclude, based on the study of your site, that if the smaller of the two individuals received the same pitch, at the same velocity, and swung the bat at the same bat speed at the same angle, he would also hit the ball 501 feet.

Therefore, is it true that both weight or mass plays practically no role in giving the heavier player an advantage over the lighter one, given a hypothetical situation like this? Please respond; I would appreciate an answer to help me better understand your view on this point.

Sincerely,
The Black Hole Lexicographer
Knight1285@aol.com