Representative embodiments of the present technology may include a ball bat with a handle, a barrel attached to or continuous with the handle along a longitudinal axis of the bat, and a reduced-durability region positioned in the barrel. The reduced-durability region may include two adjacent stacks of composite laminate plies, wherein the stacks are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis to form a first gap therebetween. A separation ply may be positioned in the first gap between the stacks. The separation ply may include a non-woven mat material. At least one cap ply element may be positioned around an end of one of the stacks. In some embodiments, an axis of the first gap is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bat.

A system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer and the internet to allow players remotely located from one another to play a competitive simulated sports game. An individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic techniques. The system includes motion sensors connected to the player and a motion sensing device, all containing circuits and contact or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry, thereby wirelessly communicate game performance information to a remote receiver-computer. The computer displays player information and visually simulates and controls a game between two players via the internet, having similar equipment and remotely located from each other. Standard sports equipment may be retrofitted with the sensors and associated circuitry to convert such equipment into “smart equipment” for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information between players, generate and control visual simulations and display player performance information.

A lightweight spherical baseball like training ball has a hollow polyethylene plastic core adhered to a stitched white colored synthetic leather cover with a thin layer of adhesive. The lightweight ball has raised seams and measures in circumference similar to the ball circumference size mandated by Major League Baseball or softball rules whereby the ball is suitable for baseball and softball training and playing variations of the game of baseball or softball in confined areas.

A ball net structure arranged to be portable, collapsible, and able to be configured into different arrangements for different nets and/or different sports-related activities. The ball net structure comprising a base structure including at least one support portion, at least one base extension, and at least one base extension hinge, wherein the at least one support portion and the at least one base extension are coupled to the at least one base extension hinge. At least one rod is removably coupled to the base structure and received by a net, wherein the net is adapted to exert a force on the at least one rod causing the at least one rod to exert a force onto said base structure.

A watch can include a wrist strap, memory, an accelerometer, and a pressure sensor that responds to muscle movement at a wrist. Various other devices, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

An enclosure assembly is configured to enclose a game ball having an outer game-ball relief feature.

Described is a knob for application to the gripping end of a hollow stick. The knob comprises a rounded, oblique, cylindrical support structure, transitional shaft and tang aligned on a common longitudinal central axis. The support structure comprises a greater diameter rounded, cantle-like support and gripping structures.

A baseball/softball comprises a core and a cover, wherein the core is wrapped with a layer of fiber material, and the layer of fiber material is wrapped and glued with the cover. A method of processing baseball/softball comprises wrapping the core with the layer of fiber material, placing the core and the layer of fiber material into a cover material, placing the core, the layer of fiber material outside the core and the layer of cover material outside the layer of fiber material into a mold; molding the layer of cover material into the cover through a vulcanization process, gluing a vulcanization melting layer formed on inner wall of the cover to the layer of fiber material, and finally taking the finished product out of the mold. From the perspectives of smell, touch and visual sense, the product has good simulation effect of baseball/softball and better service effect.

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 system for providing player training including a grid of individually powered, processor controlled and communicable lighting elements and sensors which are embedded within a playing surface associated with the event, the lighting elements interfacing with at least one of a player worn sensor and/or a remote processor device for providing a visual illustration of any number of parameters associated with an actual player performance, including real time motion progressions of the player which are represented on the field surface and/or recreated on a processor driven screen which films or otherwise tracks the event. The simulated progressions can further replicate the desired motions of the positional player's intended motions or those of an opposing positional player and in lieu of the actual player being on the playing surface.