I haven't played much slow-pitch since the 80's. I was 6-5' 245lbs. I used a 34" 38oz Bombay.(Don't recall which model). I hit several balls between 425 and 450 ft, and this was with balls that were mediocre at best. The last time I played was in 2008, and I see where everybody is using 26-30 oz bats. I see the principle behind bat speed, but I couldn't get past feeling like I was swinging a mini broom stick. I loved the Bombat because it was so heavily weight ended. We had a guy 6-9 335, that was a blacksmith from Winnemucca, NV, that used a 44" 48oz bat, that obviously was illegal, but no one questioned it because it looked like a toothpick in his hands. Plus you wouldn't question him anyway with his size. I saw him hit a handful of balls over 500 ft. This was on the No. 1 team in Nevada, Holsum Bakery. How do I get past this mental stick of mine, and do they still make 38oz bats. Also, why does MLB make a big deal when a guy it's a ball 420 ft, when I saw softballs going that far every game?
Broomsticks for bats
- Thread starter bigdrafty
- Start date
arther itis
payin' to get paid
So so first post
etnstudios
Addicted to Softballfans
Men were shorter back then, so were feet. There is a conversion chart somewhere...
ShortYellowBus
Well-Known Member
There’s a saying about old guys and the way they age.
The older you get, the better you used to be.
The older you get, the better you used to be.
scottydoesnt
Extra Hitter
How much you wanna make a bet I can hit a ball over them mountains ?
swingnmiss
#1 IN YOUR HEARTS
OG_WhenPigsFly
All Pigs Run
I used to walk to the fields up hill, both ways, in the snow
SammyJaxxx
Starting Player
36 Oz bats were pretty common back in the 80's. I don't remember 38's but there could have been.
It is pretty cool that you got to play with Paul Bunyan. did he bring his blue ox to the games?
It is pretty cool that you got to play with Paul Bunyan. did he bring his blue ox to the games?
blakcherry329
Well-Known Member
I used to swing 38oz Easton Black Magic, Adirondack made an orange bat that was like a lead pipe, but when you connected, OMG. And I was playing windmill and modified. Heavy bats were the way to go. Hell, the first composite I bought was a 30oz Ultra II and everyone on the team used it. That's unheard of nowadays.
I also smh at some big mofo swinging a 25oz bat.
I also smh at some big mofo swinging a 25oz bat.
TWmccoy
3DX Connoisseur
Very few guys I know will even swing 27 oz bats. Everyone is 25 or 26 oz.
Bring out a 28 and people really look at you funny. I would still use 30s, but I seldom see them in 240s.
stang7222
Addicted to Softballfans
I always used to swing 30oz but I had little bat control with them. I could pull a ball pretty damn hard though. I've been swinging 26/27 for the last like 15 years. Now, I don't try to smoke the 3/4 hole anymore in favor of choking up and hitting a judy so I'm considering trying 30oz again (if I can find one in 240) bc my game is gas to the pull side or Judy's over the right side.
ilyk2win
Addicted to Softballfans
I got you....LMK next time you're playing
stang7222
Addicted to Softballfans
Thanks. Might be done for the season as I have a son due at the end of September. I'll keep you posted if I hit the fields again. I appreciate the offer for sure.
What did you use to hit 400+ft, because everyone here know that never happened.
stang7222
Addicted to Softballfans
Wrong. Everyone here goes 400+ on command.What did you use to hit 400+ft, because everyone here know that never happened.
jhitman
Well-Known Member
Using a heavy bat back in the day would take some kind of incredible bat speed to hit a ball 500'. There are only a few human beings on Earth that have hit a ball 500' and it being documented. I've know guys that I hit BP with that claimed 400' easy. When I went out to hit BP with them they were barely clearing 300' with their best hits. I guess everyone on the internet hits the ball 400'. It just makes me laugh how people don't realize how far 400' is and what kind of bat speed and strength it takes to accomplish this.
TWmccoy
3DX Connoisseur
400' is VERY hard to do, contrary to what people might think. Lately I've been BP'ing on a full sized baseball field that's 387' to CF and 392' to the LC and RC gaps. Using a combination of hard cores and stadiums and Easton 220 bats I have to smash balls perfectly to get them out of there (purposely hitting toward CF). They have to be high, barreled, and well spun. Anything hit low or without good spin doesn't have a chance. I've hit PLENTY of balls well/hard out there only to see them 2 or 3 hop the fence. Top distance I've gotten in 3 BPs out there is maybe 410'.
All the furthest balls I've hit on this field I felt like I got slightly under. Lots of height, and lots of spin. Anything that spins even SLIGHTLY to the side won't go.
These were also calm, hot days. Wind wasn't a factor.
stang7222
Addicted to Softballfans
I just looked up the two farthest balls I've ever seen hit in a game. These were both hit in like 2010 with .44 375s.
One was hit with (what I assume was a shaved) Booger. Average fall evening in NJ, so maybe 55 degrees and i dont remember it being breezy that day. Bare minimum it went 492'. IF my memory serves right, Google Earth puts it 510'-515'
The other was hit with an aluminum bat with about 10mph wind blowing out and temps were low 40s. That one went 415'. That's 100% accurate bc I was playing CF when the ball hit the backstop on the other field. Off the bat I thought I could catch it. When I reached the pitcher's mound and looked up to find the ball it zoomed by. I was only 70' from bringing that one in.
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swingnmiss
#1 IN YOUR HEARTS
Only 400 feet?? Lol..........That's for Quakers.
There's a saying about guys that make ignorant comments like the both of yours. The two of you were those Punch and Judy hitters, that dreamt of knocking it over the fence, but never could. I asked a question on this site and wannabees like you try to knock it down. I probably played in only 20 leagues in my life. I led in HR's 20 times. When I was 34, my nephews got me into a league inWhat did you use to hit 400+ft, because everyone here know that never happened.
29 Palms, Ca. I hadn't picked up a bat in 5 yrs. We took a tape measure out behind the left center field fence before the game, and extended it 100 ft which we added to the 300 ft fence. The first 2 times I came up, they stood at the 400 ft point. Everybody on both teams knew what was up, and I smoked it over their heads both times. In Northern Ca, where I played mostly, the LCF fence was 337 with a 20 ft high scoreboard. I've hit 100 over that scoreboard. My last comment that I'll ever make on this site, shows the hitter that I was. There was a 64 team tournament coming up the next weekend, so the best player I've ever played with, (Bobby Davis), gathered up the 12 best players in the Redding, CA area. Not a big area to choose from, w/ 50,000 population. The word came that the No. 1 open team on the planet, (Campbell Carpets from Sacramento) were coming to this double elimination tourney. We weren't enthused to hear that, being that they had won 900 games in a row, and had 8 guys that were already in the Slow Pitch HOF in OKC. Of course we drew them in the opening game. Our luck. In a bigger upset than the "Miracle on Ice", somehow we beat them 22-21. I hit 3 dingers with 8 ribbies. They were devastated. I told the rest of the guys on my team, that tomorrow night, get ready for the worst ass-kicking that you've ever received. Was I right, we lost around 70-20 both games. I ended up with 8 HR's and 20 RBI's in the 3 games. When I came up in the last inning of the Championship game, the catcher, an older guy, who owned the team, and played 1 inning every game, asked me to step out of.the batters box. I got the rush of my life, when he offered me a paid position on the best team in the world. Unfortunately, I had to call him back and decline, due to my parole officer not allowing me to leave the area. So you fools can keep making these asinine statements, but I won't be around to see them.
P.S. I played every game of my life in tennis shoes. Never wore cleats, uniforms, or brought bat bags to the game. Old school. Bat, glove, and tennies. Adios wannabees, but will never be.
The guy was 6-9 335 if you'll take the time to read the article. It looked tiny in his hands. He wasn't questioned once the entire season. I was big, he asked me to try it, and I couldn't even swing it, due to its weight. In the 80's, Anaheim Stadium held a slow pitch HR contest each year. I saw so many balls hit deep into the 2nd deck. So smoke on you, whatever that means wannabee.
etnstudios
Addicted to Softballfans
Gonna need some salve on that rustled up jimmy
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No it took strength and timing. I pumped iron 6 days a week. I broke 2 or 3 third baseman's hands or wrists over the years, and keep in mind this was with tennis shoes, a $25 Bombat, and I never wore batting gloves. I loved watching you guys walk up with your uniforms, your bat bag, and your fancy cleats. You must have been playing with females. In 82' our AA league team hit 9 straight pitches over a regulation 300 ft fence. In fact I don't ever remember any game that I played in where there wasn't a 300+ HR hit.The comments on this site are extremely comical. You guys couldn't hit a beach ball.
etnstudios
Addicted to Softballfans
It's hard to hit a hr less than 300'