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Robert Kemp Adair

The Physics of Baseball (3rd Edition) Paperback – May 7, 2002

by Robert K Adair (Author)

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Blending scientific fact and sports trivia, Robert Adair examines what a baseball or player in motion does-and why. How fast can a batted ball go? What effect do stitch patterns have on wind resistance? How far does a curve ball break? Who reaches first base faster after a bunt, a right- or left-handed batter? The answers are often surprising -- and always illuminating.

This newly revised third edition considers recent developments in the science of sport such as the neurophysiology of batting, bat vibration, and the character of the "sweet spot." Faster pitchers, longer hitters, and enclosed stadiums also get a good, hard scientific look to determine their effects on the game.

Filled with anecdotes about famous players and incidents, The Physics of Baseball provides fans with fascinating insights into America's favorite pastime.

Print length

192 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Harper Perennial
Publication date

May 7, 2002
Dimensions

8.08 x 5.4 x 0.51 inches
ISBN-10

9780060084363
ISBN-13

978-0060084363
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert Adair is Sterling Professor Emeritus of Physics at Yale University and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. His research has largely been concerned with the properties of the elementary particles and forces of the universe.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0060084367
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; 3rd edition (May 7, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780060084363
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060084363
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.3 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.08 x 5.4 x 0.51 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #378,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #60 in Applied Physics
- #702 in Baseball (Books)
- #2,155 in Technology (Books)

Customer Reviews:
121 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		70%
4 star		11%
3 star		15%
2 star		3%
1 star		1%

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K Perry

Intended for the fan, not the physicist

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2013

Verified Purchase

In the opening chapter to this book, Adair indicates that it is “directed toward those interested in baseball, not physics.” To me, this sums up the book. This is a book about baseball, with physical principles incorporated—not the other way around. As first a fan, not a physicist, I felt that this book was very readable for the lay person. Adair discusses various physical topics including drag forces, trajectories, velocities, etc and their effects on aspects of America’s pastime. To the fan with a long time love of the game, this is a fun way to look at the game and consider elements that may have previously been overlooked. This isn’t, however, a book that’s going to get a non-baseball fan to become one—so don’t give it to your ten your old. This also isn’t a perfect physical discussion of the game. Adair has a fair amount of loosely calculated values and assumptions, leading to broad and perhaps flawed results. To his credit, however, Adair looks at countless elements of the game and gives an otherwise quiet discussion on baseball and physics some attention. Worth reading by the avid fan or budding physics student.

11 people found this helpful

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fenway

Great book to explain ball movement mechanics

Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2017

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I'm a huge baseball fan. I've had the paperback version of this book for years, but I wanted the Kindle version for quick reference. It was commissioned to be written by Bart Giammati, former Yale president and baseball commissioner. The writer is a Yale physics professor. I've always been intrigued by hitting and ball movement mechanics, and this book helps explain these things in a very understandable way.

2 people found this helpful

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MEF

This a great book on the science behind why Baseball can be ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

This a great book on the science behind why Baseball can be such a difficult sport to master. I have earlier editions of this book by Adair, but the latest edition has more hard data describing baseball flight behavior and the essentials necessary to hit a Home Run with a baseball bat. Combined with Ted Williams' "The Science of Hitting" and Dorfman's "The Mental Game of Baseball" , a young player has it all right before him/her to understand the science and skills necessary to master playing the Game of Baseball. I bought 3 of these books and gave them to young high school players, pitchers and hitters, who aspire to play at the professional level. It's really fun to read too.

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

I see this book being read by coaches and trainers

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2020

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This book analyses most of baseball plays, but I see this book as a helper for training players. When you are playing, you are not going to be thinking about what Physics recommended what to do! But it is a very useful tool for training.

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Bryappie

If you like physics and you like baseball

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018

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If you like physics and you like baseball, this book is awesome. I teach biomechanics and being able to explain some of the situations in baseball through newtonian physics to my students is pretty cool!

Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2012

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I found The Physics of Baseball, by Robert K. Adair, to be a very fascinating book. I play softball so the information in the book is very interesting to me. I can use the information that I learning in the book to apply it to my playing and improve. I have truly found myself wandering about most of the information I learned in this book. Mr. Adair found a way to intertwine players within the information to give examples that I could remember and relate to. I would definitely go further and read any other information on baseball that he has published because he demonstrated a very clear and working knowledge of baseball. Adair managed to take something that can be dull, physics, and give it life by putting it with the livelihood of America, baseball. Adair acknowledged the American love of baseball and used it to his advantage by mentioning players that everyone knows and loves, such as Babe Ruth. Robert K. Adair brought a new way of seeing baseball by putting names and equations to concepts that every tee-ball and Major League player use. He described how outfielders find trajectory in their minds in a split second before reacting and made models of the physics behind those trajectories. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with a passion for baseball and knowledge

One person found this helpful

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Chad

A Great Read For The Average Baseball Fan

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2007

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The Physics of Baseball is a great book that should be read by any baseball fan who wants to understand the reasons behind why certain things in the game happen as they do. Robert Adair, a professor at Yale, informatively discusses nearly every aspect of the game through a scientific view. Adair uses models, graphs, and equations to further explain the content of the book. The average person will probably not completely understand every detail about the physics of the game, but will grasp the general concepts with ease. If you do have a good understanding of physics, then you will comprehend everything in the book without a problem. The book is really intended to be read by people interested in baseball, not physics. After reading the book you come away with a greater appreciation for the game and its players. Baseball players really have to understand the concepts of the game and be very gifted to play baseball. Scientifically, it seems quite improbable that a batter will successfully come in contact with a ball at such high speeds, but in reality the best major leaguers do it about a third of the time. Baseball players really know what they are doing when playing the sport. For example, a pitcher has to able to know how to make baseballs curve and change directions in certain ways.
Adair provides reasoning to what baseballs do in motion. If you have always been absolutely puzzled on how a curveball curves, then you will find the answers in this book. You will also understand the great impact outside factors have daily on the game. In a windy stadium, your batted ball might land 30 feet shorter than its normal length. Have you ever wondered why coaches teach you to hit the ball on the "sweet spot" of the bat? Adair explains how vibration and softness relate to this idea. Adair discusses wooden vs. aluminum bats, judging fly balls, and running the bases. Did you know that there is a specific limit to the distance that a batted ball can travel? You can learn this distance and the reasons behind it in the book. Adair talks about the slider, screwball, and fastball in describing the scientific reasons for how they act. You will learn the different swing motions that certain hitters use in order to hit a line-drive or home-run. Did you know that the contact between the baseball and bat last about 1/1000th of a second? Adair also ties in some controversies of the day, such as the corked bat. Adair surprisingly explains why the corked bat is commonly misconceived and its actual effect on a baseball. In the book, Adair even leaves some technical notes at the end of each chapter for the more scientifically advanced people. The book is an interesting read for anyone curious about the reasons for why things in the game act as they do and anyone looking for a fulfilling, quick read.

5 people found this helpful

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longball101

Quality

Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

Worthwhile information

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