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August 22, 2008

Strange But True!

Q. In the classic 1888 poem “Casey at the Bat,” he clenches his teeth in hate as he violently pounds his bat upon the plate, then takes his final swing. Unfortunately, there was no joy in Mudville that day as mighty Casey struck out. Does modern neuroscience offer any clues about what went wrong?

A. Modern biomechanists know that to hurl a fastball, the pitcher must muster 3-4 horsepower, using 24-32 pounds of muscle mostly in his back and thighs, say John Milton et al in “Your Brain on Cubs.” Because this necessitates a careful kinetic sequence, the windup is loaded with clues for the batter, whose “mirror neurons” can help signal the type of pitch that's coming. “This may help explain the fact that a great pitcher, Babe Ruth, was also one of the greatest home run hitters of all time.”


 
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