Why women pitch underhand

Baseball leagues and baseball coaches have set strict limits on the number of balls a male pitcher may pitch within a set period of time. One reason is that girls play softball and softball pitchers, unlike the male players, throw underhand. Underhanded pitches, say some coaches, are less stressful to the arm than overhanded pitching. Louis have studied the problem and have answers. Bottom line, although fast-pitch softball may appear to be less risky for pitchers than is baseball, the potential for injury remains.

This was done on purpose originally again to make the game safe for indoor play , and while a lot of position players find a way to get comfortable throwing the ball around the diamond overhand you lose a lot of accuracy, you lose a lot of speed, and you lose a lot of control.

Throwing the ball underhand, the other hand is a whole lot easier when you are dealing with something this large and this heavy. I have a wide head, which is why a regular-shaped hockey helmet hurts at my temples. In the National Hockey League, the specifics of injuries are generally kept pretty quiet. Hockey is a notoriously violent game, and one theory is that teams may want to keep injuries secret so as to Skip to content.

Table of Contents show. However, underhand throws were better for reaching nearby targets above the shoulder. Overhand throws were more consistent with higher speeds and longer distances. Women who do play baseball do throw overhand pitches. The underhanded throw is actually much easier on the arm specifically the elbow , as it is a much more natural movement. Dear Straight Dope: My barber asked me this: why is a softball pitched underhand and a baseball overhand?

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