Overhand throw speed... what's average?

[Big Daddy Michigan]

I watched a girls recruitment video and she clocked her overhand throw. I don't want to give the number in the odd chance that someone could identify her, but I thought that doesn't seem very fast. It was slower than she pitched, and I'd assumed it should be faster, but they also had the gun at a poor distance from her and I don't think the ball had hit maximum velocity when clocked.

So, how many MPH would be considered an average arm for an infielder and what would be a strong arm?

 

[wconn1979]

The ball is at max velocity when it leaves the hand and only decelerates from there.

I dont know what the average numbers are but my daughter throws over hand slower than her pitch speed, not by much.

 

[chinamigarden]

Average is probably 85 when grandpa clocks it.

How much slower then pitched speed? I’d say more then 5 mph and there is either some room for improvement in the overhand motion, or the pitched speed is suspect.

 

[Big Daddy Michigan]

The ball is at max velocity when it leaves the hand and only decelerates from there.

Are you sure about that science? MLB clocks 20 feet out of the hand because science says that's the fastest point. Maybe that has changed, but that's what they say. The ball accelerates for 20 feet and then drag begins to slow it down.

 

[Traps71]

@Fury Mike posted some great data on this a ways back...

Fantastic Pop Time Fanatics

Overhand Throwing: At 14, throwing 60+ overhand puts you in that top 5% but is doable. I coach a 14U team, and 10 of 12 throw 60+ with three throwing 64 (two are catchers) and two throwing 65+. Getting there did not happen by accident. Foremost I'm anal about throwing mechanics, and it all...

www.discussfastpitch.com

 

[chinamigarden]

Are you sure about that science? MLB clocks 20 feet out of the hand because science says that's the fastest point. Maybe that has changed, but that's what they say. The ball accelerates for 20 feet and then drag begins to slow it down.

Unless that ball has a motor on it I don’t see how it could accelerate.

 

[BigSkyHi]

In this video, he talks of 70 mph being "extremely hard"

 

[Big Daddy Michigan]

Unless that ball has a motor on it I don’t see how it could accelerate.

You are correct...

The hand, wrist, arm, or other body parts often interfere with the reading causing "ghost readings" so they aim the gun 20 feet in front of the pitcher to avoid body interference. I knew they clocked 20 feet in front, but I was mistaken as to why. When Nolan Ryan threw 101 in Detroit, he was clocked at home plate, so physicists believe the pitch was likely around 108 MPH if clocked 20 feet out like modern pitchers. I copied and pasted some details.


"Some "Radar Speed Guns" measure the speed of the ball after it has travelled 20-25 feet from the thrower. Anomalous readings due to the pitcher's motion are less likely, and the signal processing of numerous "Doppler cycles" can result in an accurate measurement less influenced by false target "ghosts". However, the travel distance results in a speed-reading about three MPH less than that of the guns which measure ball release speed. Thus, these devices are often referred to as "slow guns", and their speed-readings are closer to the average speed of the ball travelling between the pitcher and the batter."

 

[625ender]

Unless that ball has a motor on it I don’t see how it could accelerate.

Nano technology

Any person throwing a softball 70+ mph underhanded, overhand, sidearm or otherwise is very very rare air.

I've always loved this video. Says he was clocked at 104....

 

[Gambler Bob]

I can only give you a little info for an 11u team. I got three girls that can overhand throw 57-60 mph. I also have 3 girls that can only throw 42-44 mph.

The girls that are throwing in the low range all have poor throwing mechanics.