How Far Did That Home Run Travel? This Guy Knows!

Good morning!! This is from Monday's Boston Globe....

"Greg Rybarczyk has a day job. But most of all, he digs the long ball, and he has devoted much of his spare time to tracking home runs, creating a tool, the Hit Tracker, that he says calculates the precise trajectory of every home run hit in the big leagues.
"I'm not sure why exactly I got into the home run thing, it's probably a combination of things," said Rybarczyk...."

Peter here, and I'll link the entire article, which even includes a link to his "hit tracker" website, and it will be available when you click on the title of this post. But aren't we all curious to know, after watching one of our favorite Sox players crush a ball out of the park, just exactly how far that round leather stitched object traveled? From its point of impact with the wood of the bat to the spot where it lands, somewhere in Fenway Park, or better yet, somewhere on the surrounding streets, there has never been an EXACT scientific method for measuring the distance traveled. It's not as if a ball boy or girl can run out onto the field of play, metallic tape measure in hand, and my goodness, it had better be a LONG one, and then climb into the stands to get an exact flight path measurement while holding up the flow of the game for five or ten minutes. No, that won't work. So that's why Greg's concept interests me, and I too am going back to read the entire Globe article and then click on the provided link to go to his actual website. Yes, it's all there, when you click on the title!

Muct more importantly, I wanted to wish you, my Constant Readers, a happy New Year's Eve Day. In yesterday's post, I had a few things mixed up...I originally thought yesterday, Sunday, was New Years Eve day, but a comment from blogger and friend Laura (she and her blog are on my link list...just scroll down a little on the right hand side of this page--look for her first name) set me straight. TODAY is New Year's Eve day, and it's Monday, December 31st, 2007, and that's probably the very last time I will type the numbers 2 and 0 and 0 and 7, except when I write about the fond rememberances of a GREAT baseball year for all of us. Because it WAS a very special year, and every one of us is richer for it. I know I am, and I have you here every day! Life is good.

So enjoy midnight, when 2007 becomes 2008, and hug someone who is close to you, right there, on your right. You know you want to! I look forward to a great 2008, and I'd love to spend it writing to you, my blog friends and readers, or better yet, MY FRIENDS...FOREVER. Is that OK with you? Oh, don't forget to click on this post's title to read the Edes' fascinating article about home runs, and their tracking machine! Be well. Forever! And have a wonderful night, for as the hours turn and tick closer and closer towards that special midnight hour, magic will happen! I just know it. And I love it!!! And I love you, every one of you. Be safe, and be well.