A batting tee system that can be used to both tee a ball for batting and retrieve balls on the ground. As balls are retrieved, the balls are automatically positioned for use in batting. The batting tee system uses a tube body having an interior and an open first end of a first diameter. An expandable constraint is disposed at the first end. The expandable constraint defines a secondary opening that can be selectively altered between a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter, and a third diameter that is larger than the first diameter. A mechanical activator is used to alter the secondary opening of the expandable constraint between the second diameter and the third diameter. This controls the passage of balls out of the tube body.

A ball striking training device for training a user to strike a ball includes a bat. A recess is positioned in a front of the bat distal from a handle of the bat. A plurality of inserts is selectively couplable to the bat within the recess. A respective insert is positionable within the recess with a front face of the respective insert positioned proximate to the front of the bat. Each insert is selectively couplable to the bat such that a respective front face of the insert is positioned proximate to the front of the bat. The handle is configured to be grasped in the hands of a user, such that the insert is configured to strike a ball with the respective front face of the insert.

A system may comprise one or more monitoring devices that may communicate with a mobile device or a wearable device worn by a user of a sporting apparatus. The system may enable motion data specific to motion of the sporting apparatus to be conveniently captured and transmitted, and displayed on the wearable device. The system may include functionality to permit disablement of the motion detecting, transmission, and/or displaying functions at times when such functions are not permitted to be used, and to record the date, time, and location when such functions have been disabled to permit verification thereof by a governing body or sporting organization. The system may further include a learning module enabling monitored motion of the object to be correlated to monitored motion of the user such that predictive motion of the sporting object based only on monitored motion of the user may be obtained and displayed.

An apparatus for assisting and improving baseball hitting is described. The apparatus includes a spherical object having an interior anchor and a cord extending therefrom. An adjustable mass body is disposed within the spherical object along the cord. The interior anchor allows the spherical object to rotate about the cord.

This invention relates generally to a ball delivery system and method, and more particularly to a ball delivery system where the axis of rotation of the ball delivered from the system can range from perpendicular to the direction of motion of the ball to parallel to the direction of motion. This invention also permits a user to enter information related to the speed and axis of rotation of the ball. This invention also permits information related to the speed and axis of rotation of the ball to be determined from a video of a ball.

A motion measurement apparatus includes an inertial sensor and a host terminal. The inertial sensor measures a motion. The host terminal includes an input section and a control section. The input section is used to input an item identifier allocated to each motion of a user. The control section generates a control signal for controlling a sampling rate of the inertial sensor according to the item identifier which is input via the input section, and outputs the control signal to the inertial sensor.

A pitcher safety system may be disclosed. The pitcher safety system may be a highly portable weather resistant collapsible pitching net. The pitcher safety system may have a curved body with an opening side, a permanently closed side, a handle side, and a carriage side. A collapsible frame comprising two pivoting base members may be permanently coupled to the interior of the curved body. The collapsible frame, a first pair of connecting members, a second pair of connecting members, and a top connecting member may be quickly coupled to one another to form a fully erected frame and safety net. The pitcher safety system may have a wheeled carriage system coupled to the carriage side, a grab handle coupled to the handle side, and hinged stabilizers coupled to the underside of the permanently closed side of the curved body.

Batting practice systems and methods that allow a baseball batter to match the timing of the batter's swing to the pitch speed of a pitcher.

A universal swing training apparatus is provided that includes a sports-related implement and a slide mechanism. The implement includes a proximal section and a distal section that are spaced apart to form a gap there-between. The slide mechanism is inserted within this gap and is connected to the upper end of the proximal section and the lower end of the distal section. The slide mechanism includes a rail guide, a plurality of front ball bearings, a plurality of rear ball bearings, and a sliding rail assembly that are cooperatively configured to insure that this upper end and this lower end are coaxial when the sliding rail assembly is situated in a coaxial position on the rail guide, and permit a lateral shift of this lower end relative to this upper end during a swinging of the implement.

A protective screen system having a protective screen made up of a protective screen frame and a primary net, and including a protective screen safety apparatus coupled to the protective screen. The protective screen safety apparatus includes one or more spacing connectors adapted to couple a structure such as a protective screen frame, and support and suspend a safety net in front of and spaced from the protective screen frame to minimize bounce back of a ball from the protective screen frame. Methods of protecting a batter with the protective screen safety apparatus are provided. Retrofitting and adjustable protective screen safety apparatus are described, including embodiments adapted to minimize damage to chain-link fences, as are other aspects.