The Science of Hitting a 1970 book by Ted Williams with Drew Underwood is a classic. In The Science of Hitting, Ted Williams, who may be the greatest hitter ever walks readers through, with exceptional detail, how to hit. Many figures in The Science of Hitting illustrate for the reader how it is done. A person could not do better than being taught by Williams, the last person to bat .400 (.406 in 1941). and he wrote it all down for you in The Science of Hitting. This book is for baseball players and coaches. Are you one of those?
The Science of Hitting Famous Strike Zone
The most famous thing about The Science of Hitting is the strike zone Williams built with colored baseballs that display his batting average in different zones. The colorful display is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Red baseballs, located in the middle of the chart, are where Williams batted .400. There are 7 columns of 11 baseballs for a total of 77. Red is the highest average, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white.
The graphic shows that Williams was the most confident in his ability to hit on pitches thrown right down the middle. He generally hit better on pitches thrown close to him. He did the worst on low and away pitches. He was a decent hitter on high pitches. The multi-colored strike zone is famous and in the Hall of Fame as a display.
Swinging a Bat with Science
According to The Science of Hitting, there is an 11-step process to hitting as baseball, and Williams has pictures to illustrate his point. He said, “From the moment the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand, a batter has about two-fifths of a second to make up his mind whether to swing at the pitch and, if he does, to complete his swing. Quickness with the bat is critical. The stance is compact, the lead foot nearer to the plate and pointed slightly toward the pitcher, the bat held almost perpendicular to the ground and close to the body. The pitch is on the way…”
Here are the 11 steps written by Williams in The Science of Hitting:
- The lead foot strides 8 inches toward the pitch.
- The bat is flattening out, left elbow comes in (Williams batted left-handed).
- Hips begin to open up toward the pitch.
- The bat is flatter still as hips lead the way into the pitch.
- A decision is made to swing at the pitch.
- Bat begins a tight, powerful arc into the pitch.
- Shoulders begin to open.
- Hip action is far ahead, pulling arms around.
- Hands are already past the plate.
- Wrists are still unbroken through the ideal hitting zone.
- Hips wide open, a line drive is the result.
Ted Williams Career Accomplishments
Ted Williams had quite a career. He was qualified to write The Science of Hitting. Williams was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. He hit a .406 in 1941, the last player’s record that hit .400. Six times he led the American League in batting average, four times he led the league in home runs, five times he led the league in runs scored, six times he led the league in walks. His main rival was Joe DiMaggio.
Ted Williams had more career accomplishments. He intentionally walked 33 times in 1957 the year in which he hit three home runs in one game, twice, and the year he hit home runs in four consecutive at-bats. He was the Most Valuable Player in the American League in 1946 and 1949. He hit .304 in 16 All-Star games and was named the American League player of the year by the Sporting News for the 1960s.
The Science of Hitting Verdict
It is a rare treat to learn about a craft from a master. That is the case if you read The Science of Hitting by Ted Wiliams. If you want to learn about hitting a baseball, there is no better book to read. In The Science of Hitting Williams, who managed the first Washington Senators when he was done playing, showed how every player on that team improved their batting average under his leadership. So, what Williams wrote in The Science of Hitting works.
