A pneumatic ball launcher includes a tube, a ball pathway unit, a push unit, a holding unit, an airway unit and a pneumatic unit. The ball pathway unit is used for connecting one end of the tube and wrapping part of a ball channel of the tube. The push unit includes a push bar, a slide base, a first driver and a second driver. The holding unit, detachably connected with the push unit, is used for holding the ball pushed by the push bar. The airway unit is connected with the holding unit. The pneumatic unit includes a valve mechanism, a pneumatic cylinder and a gas tank. When the valve mechanism opens to allow the gas tank to discharge into the holding unit via the airway unit, the ball held by the holding unit would be ejected out of the tube.

Systems, methods and computer-readable media are provided for determining an effective altitude in relation to a moving sports object. In some examples, a method includes determining respective values for an air temperature, an air pressure, and a relative humidity of an environment of interest. Based on the determined respective values of the air temperature, the air pressure, and the relative humidity, an air density for the environment of interest is calculated to derive a first air density value. A second air density value is derived for a reference environment. An absolute value of a difference between the first and second air densities is compared against a preset comparison value and, based on the comparison being equal to or smaller than the preset comparison value, an output including an indicator of the effective altitude is generated.

A signaling system for wirelessly transmitting private signals between participants of an event is provided. The signaling system includes an indicator positioned in the apparel of a first participant, and an actuator positioned in the apparel of a second participant. The indicator including a signaler, an indicator processor, and a wireless receiver. The actuator including a button, an actuator processor, and a wireless transmitter. The actuator processor is configured to produce signal data for wireless transmission. The indicator processor is configured to electronically communicate with the signaler based on the signal data received by the wireless receiver.

A system is disclosed that includes a ball-throwing machine included within a first housing, a controller communicatively coupled to the ball-throwing machine and included within a second housing different than the first housing, a camera, and a non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon logic, the logic being executable by one or more processors to perform operations including: receiving information associated with a selection of a first training drill from the controller, responsive to receiving the information associated with the selection of the first training drill, causing the ball-throwing machine to impart motion to one or more balls in accordance with the first training drill, receiving multimedia data of a player captured by the camera, and performing a player recognition procedure to locate the player within the multimedia data.

A slide training apparatus is provided including a slide support structure. The slide support structure includes side supporting elements and a cross bar supported by the side supporting elements and having an adjustable height. The side supporting elements may be attached at lower ends to feet, wheels, or base support elements. The apparatus may further include a mat disposed at least partially under the slide support structure.

A body limb protection system includes an outer layer, an inner layer, and a force dampening and defusing structure. The outer layer includes a first material composition and has an exterior surface that includes a substantially planer area. The inner layer includes a second material composition and has a shape corresponding to a body limb portion. The force dampening and defusing structure is positioned between the inner layer and the outer layer. The force dampening and defusing structure has a shape corresponding to a difference between the shapes of the inner and outer layers. The force dampening and defusing structure includes a plurality of components arranged to reduce pressure on the body limb portion when a force is applied to the substantially planer area.

A training bat for optimizing the swing of a hitter includes a barrel portion and a handle portion connected to the barrel portion. The handle portion includes a handle having a generally cylindrical exterior surface that is engaged by a user to enable the user to grab and swing the training bat. The generally cylindrical exterior surface has a handle diameter sized large enough to substantially inhibit at least one hand of the user from wrapping around the generally cylindrical exterior surface when said at least one hand of the user grabs the generally cylindrical exterior surface of the handle to swing the training bat.

A bat, which has a hollow barrel and an internal assembly configured to resist deformation of the hollow barrel, is disclosed. The internal assembly includes a rod disposed longitudinally in the hollow barrel, a ring attached to the rod, a deformable sleeve disposed around the ring and extending longitudinally in the hollow barrel. The sleeve can include an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow barrel. The bat can include an end cap attached to an end of the hollow barrel and having a recess configured to receive an end of the rod. The rod can be configured to maintain the deformable sleeve in a predetermined suspended position within the hollow barrel such that, when the bat is at rest, the sleeve is disposed a predetermined gap distance from an inner surface of the hollow barrel.

A ball bat includes a handle portion with a handle secured in a sleeve in the handle portion. A void is defined within the knob and is not occupied by nor positioned within handle. The void may be defined by a gap between an end of the handle and a base of a sleeve. The gap may be defined by a smaller diameter opening, ribs (integral or separate insert), or protrusions. A void may be defined between an end of the knob and a base of the sleeve and may be occupied by stiffening ribs. The knob may be formed of two parts aligned using one or both of a pin and a locking tab. Parts of the knob extending outwardly from the sleeve may also include a void.

A luminous safety ball including an inner glowing body and a foam sphere covering the inner glowing body is provided. The inner glowing body is not a perfect sphere, the foam sphere has a non-uniform thickness, and light emitted by the inner glowing body passes through the foam sphere and permeates through a surface of the foam sphere to form light with different brightness thereon.