jbooth
07-02-2008, 04:31 PM
We discuss and debate minutia on this board a lot, and often lose sight of the basic simple moves. I have provided a video of Ted Williams describing the parts of the swing. He talks and demonstrates in less than 2 minutes all the stuff we talk about endlessly on this board.
As you watch and listen, note the following things he says that IMO, are important and interesting as they relate to the many arguments we have around the internet.
"As I make my decision to swing, my hips lead the way, and the shoulders follow. My hands and forearms supply bat direction.
The wrists have snap; just a little at impact, but it is a very slight snap, and definitely not a roll. The power is applied before the wrists break.
My hips clearly open up; before my shoulders begin to bring arms and bat around
http://wms17.streamhoster.com/firstpick/tedwswing.wmv
He also states that his hands are well ahead of the bat. He is referring to getting into what we here term "bat lag." His statement of the sequence of parts is the same as what I call Hips, Handle, Head." The hips lead the way, the handle comes next ahead of the bathead, and then the bat head is snapped into the ball.
Note that his style was to start with the bat vertical, and then he dropped it towards horizontal, BEFORE the shoulders and hands move toward the ball. And, the flattening from vertical to horizontal is done by lifting the front arm and simultaneously dropping the back elbow. It is NOT done by torqing at the hands. From above, you can clearly see the bathead move from vertical as his lead forearm moves out, up and away from his body.
As you watch and listen, note the following things he says that IMO, are important and interesting as they relate to the many arguments we have around the internet.
"As I make my decision to swing, my hips lead the way, and the shoulders follow. My hands and forearms supply bat direction.
The wrists have snap; just a little at impact, but it is a very slight snap, and definitely not a roll. The power is applied before the wrists break.
My hips clearly open up; before my shoulders begin to bring arms and bat around
http://wms17.streamhoster.com/firstpick/tedwswing.wmv
He also states that his hands are well ahead of the bat. He is referring to getting into what we here term "bat lag." His statement of the sequence of parts is the same as what I call Hips, Handle, Head." The hips lead the way, the handle comes next ahead of the bathead, and then the bat head is snapped into the ball.
Note that his style was to start with the bat vertical, and then he dropped it towards horizontal, BEFORE the shoulders and hands move toward the ball. And, the flattening from vertical to horizontal is done by lifting the front arm and simultaneously dropping the back elbow. It is NOT done by torqing at the hands. From above, you can clearly see the bathead move from vertical as his lead forearm moves out, up and away from his body.