Who First Found the Sweet Spot?
Friday, September 4th, 2009When I saw the headline about a prehistoric mammal that used its tail like a baseball bat, I was only mildly tempted to click. I doubted there’d be video, and I figured video would be the best reason to look. But something still made me click it. And I’m glad I did, because had I not, I wouldn’t know that these mammals, called glyptodonts, not used its tail like a bat…it also has a sweet spot!
Long before Hank and the Babe were smacking homers (and also long before Andy Roddick found his 155 mph serve), Glyptodonts figured out the science behind the swing. MSNBC.com’s coverage included an explanation from research Rudermar Ernesto Blanco: The center of percussion is a point where you can deliver a very powerful blow with a baseball bat, a tennis racket, a sword, an axe or any hand-held implement, but the forces against your hands are almost zero.
They look like giant armadillos, so the bat boys would have some trouble keeping things organized. Catchers wouldn’t be safe, and I wouldn’t expect great baserunning speed. But the next time you make good contact, you may want to give a little thanks to these prehistoric creatures.