PITCHING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SPORTS

• US 20130157788A1
• Filed: 02/24/2013
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Darrell J. Moore
• Original Assignee: Darrell J. Moore
• Inventors: Moore, Darrell J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/455
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0006 for pitching
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/00 Targets or goals for ball games golf cups A63B57/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball

Abstract

Embodiments of a baseball or softball pitching and training device and methods of teaching a student pitcher the art of intelligent pitching are disclosed. An embodiment of a device comprises a vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone, the display surface further comprising, a plurality of areas of generally rectangular target shapes for receiving pitched balls; the generally rectangular target shapes indicating graded locations of effectiveness of pitches; and the device furthermore comprising, pitch location information, which is controlled by pitch count of “balls” and “strikes”. Furthermore, an embodiment of a method includes the steps of (1) providing the device disclosed above; and (2) providing pitch location and pitch selection information, which are controlled by pitch count of “balls” and “strikes”.

Claims

1. A device for practice pitching a baseball or a softball, comprising a vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone, said display surface further comprising, a plurality of areas of generally rectangular target shapes for receiving pitched balls;

said generally rectangular target shapes indicating graded locations of effectiveness of pitches; and

said device furthermore comprising, pitch location information, which is controlled by pitch count of “

balls” and

“

strikes”

.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said vertically planar display surface is supported by at least one rigid supporting member and said display surface being movably positioned behind a home plate.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into a plurality of graded areas of least effectiveness, to moderate effectiveness and to high effectiveness based on pitch locations.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into a plurality of areas which are color-coded and visibly demarcated.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into a central area of twenty-one inch by eight inch zone of a least effective target for pitch location.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into an area of thirty inch by four-and-a-half inch zone of highly effective pitch location surrounding a least effective central zone.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into an area of thirty-nine inch by four-and-a-half inch zone of moderately effective pitch location surrounding a highly effective strike zone.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 or 3-2, are associated with a highly effective pitch location area approximately six to seven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 3-0 or 3-1, are associated with a highly effective pitch location area approximately 4.25 inches lateral to or within a central strike zone.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 0-1 or 1-2, is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately seven inches to eleven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 1-1 is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 0-2 is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately eleven inches to thirteen inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 2-2, is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said student pitcher reiterates said pitching method as described in claims 13 through 19 until said student pitcher is able to throw pitches sans the aid of the device of claim 1.

14. A method of teaching and training a student pitcher, said method comprising steps of (1) providing a device having a vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone, said display surface further comprising, a plurality of areas of generally rectangular target shapes for receiving pitched balls;

said generally rectangular target shapes indicating graded locations of effectiveness of pitches; and

(2) providing pitch location and pitch selection information, which are controlled by pitch count of “

balls” and

“

strikes”

.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone is firstly positioned behind a home plate and secondly adjusted in manner to conform to regulation distances in either baseball or softball sports.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, when said pitch count of balls and strikes is respectively, 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 or 3-2, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area approximately six to seven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein, when said pitch count of balls and strikes is respectively, 3-0 or 3-1, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball area 4.25 inches lateral to or within a central strike zone.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein, when said pitch count of balls and strikes is respectively, 0-1 or 1-2, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately seven inches to eleven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein, when said count of balls and strikes is respectively, 1-1, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein, when a count of balls and strikes is respectively, 0-2, a student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately eleven inches to thirteen inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein, when said count of balls and strikes is respectively, 2-2, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone.