Visual Movements of Batters

Abstract

Observational analysis of university batters in game situations and cinematographic analysis of professional batters in batting practice showed that, in tracking a pitched ball, batters used pursuit movements of the eyes with the head essentially fixated. However, in no instance was the ball tracked clear up to contact with the bat. Tracking movements of the eyes stopped while the ball was still 8 to 15 feet from the plate, either because further tracking would provide no useful information after the bat was under way, or because pursuit movements of the eyes break down at such high relative velocities.