Okay, so I’ve always been curious about how much it actually hurts to catch a baseball barehanded. I mean, you see the pros do it all the time, but they’ve got years of practice, right? I decided to put it to the test – for science, of course, and maybe a little bit of bragging rights.
Gearing Up (Or Not)
First things first, I needed a baseball. I grabbed an old one from the garage – it was a little scuffed up, but hey, that adds character. Then came the big decision: glove or no glove? I figured I’d start with a glove to get a feel for the speed and then, you know, bravely ditch it later.
The First Throw
I roped my buddy into this little experiment. He’s got a pretty decent arm, so I knew I wasn’t going to get any soft lobs. We stood maybe 20 feet apart – close enough to get some speed, but not so far that I’d totally chicken out. He wound up and let one fly. With the glove, it was a piece of cake. A solid thwack in the mitt, no problem.
Going Barehanded…Yikes!
Okay, time for the real test. I took a deep breath and tossed the glove aside. My buddy looked a little concerned, but I waved him on. He threw another one, same speed. I braced myself…and caught it!
It stung and my hand getting red, that’s for sure. It wasn’t like getting punched, more like a really, really firm slap. My palm tingled for a good few minutes, and I could definitely feel a bit of a throb.
Upping the Ante
- We moved back a bit, increasing the distance.
- He starts throw harder.
- I keep catch (most of them, anyway).
Each catch got progressively more painful. By the end, my hand was red and swollen, and I could definitely feel a dull ache. It wasn’t unbearable, but it wasn’t exactly pleasant either.
The Verdict
So, does catching a baseball hurt? Yes, yes it does. Especially if you’re not used to it and you’re catching fastballs barehanded. Would I recommend it? Probably not. But hey, at least now I know. And I can definitely say I earned my stripes (or maybe just a really sore hand) for the day.
