Better than Model hitter thread- Batting practice of two of the best hitters ever

[Softball scholar]

I saw this article and thought of the model hitter thread, and it shows how far we've come in hitting technology. Anyway, I guess we really didn't have much footage of some of the famous ball players like Ruth and Gehrig, so its very interesting. I guess they do some things right, but do a lot of things wrong in todays standards of hitting.


Old Footage of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig Taking Batting Practice is Alarmingly Unimpressive

 

[uncdrew]

I throw BP better than that guy.

 

[CoachJD]

I've always hated Ruth's swing. Hard to argue with the results, but playing against pitchers who probably wouldn't advance past A-ball in today's game had to help (I, for one, am of the belief that Adam Ottavino was right and he'd strike out 1920s Babe Ruth every single time).

 

[_MIA_]

I've always hated Ruth's swing. Hard to argue with the results, but playing against pitchers who probably wouldn't advance past A-ball in today's game had to help (I, for one, am of the belief that Adam Ottavino was right and he'd strike out 1920s Babe Ruth every single time).

I am willing to bet if Babe played in 2019 his swing would look different and he would probably mash with that swing too. I mean, it wouldn't be hitting more HR than some teams type of mashing but still, the fact that he was that
much better than everybody else, who were also facing "lousy" pitching, pretty much means that he had talent up the ying-yang.

 

[CoachJD]

I am willing to bet if Babe played in 2019 his swing would look different and he would probably mash with that swing too. I mean, it wouldn't be hitting more HR than some teams type of mashing but still, the fact that he was that
much better than everybody else, who were also facing "lousy" pitching, pretty much means that he had talent up the ying-yang.

I said "1920s Babe Ruth" for a reason. I'm sure if you transported that guy to today and he took care of his body and used all the tools available to him he'd be excellent (or maybe he'd never be able to catch up to Major League pitch speeds). But that's not really the point of Ottavino's statement.

 

[_MIA_]

I said "1920s Babe Ruth" for a reason. I'm sure if you transported that guy to today and he took care of his body and used all the tools available to him he'd be excellent (or maybe he'd never be able to catch up to Major League pitch speeds). But that's not really the point of Ottavino's statement.

Right, and Ottavino's statement was just as irrelevant as mine was

 

[625ender]

Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, Mantle..... would be just as confused if they played today like everyone else is. Just take a look at the silly discussions in this chatroom. No one's getting better with that nonsense

Hitting is natural and every swing is different

 

[CoachJD]

Right, and Ottavino's statement was just as irrelevant as mine was

No, it really wasn't. He was making an accurate, intelligent point about how much better professional athletes are today. I'll extrapolate to say that's true physically (bigger, faster, stronger), mentally (more information out there, and the best athletes use it), and technically (maximizing one's potential through improved mechanics).

And, to that point, I'm 100% certain that the Ruth you see in that video wouldn't be any good today. Moving the goalposts and saying "well, if he did 500 different things to get better" drastically misses the point because it's both obvious and proving the argument others are making.

 

[PEPPERS]

Found this on youtube, just today.

BABE RUTH AND THE YANKEES - OLD TIME BASEBALL FILM - Early film reel in three parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EJxVFU8UNo

 

[Lobster Birch]

Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, Mantle..... would be just as confused if they played today like everyone else is. Just take a look at the silly discussions in this chatroom. No one's getting better with that nonsense

Hitting is natural and every swing is different

Come on, a little pseudo-science and arbitrary verbal cues probably helped someone sometime.