Slapper Save 10% by Dalton Ruer

I often get asked about my feelings regarding slapping in the game of fast pitch softball. In a nutshell I say “It’s unfair.” Really it’s like stealing when you think about it. Not sure why they even allow it. Why? Well in any normal foot race things are even. The “racers” line up on the same line and they run to the same location. Occasionally the two racers might even come to an agreement like “Hey Meghan you know you are way faster than me how about giving me a 5 foot lead?” Many times Meghan and Anne will then negotiate the size of the lead, and the slower runner will get the “head start.”

But slapping is completely backwards. Meghan and Anne agree that Meghan is much faster and yet Meghan is the one that gets the “head start.” Then to add insult to injury so to speak, Meghan takes a running start. Seriously! As if it isn’t bad enough that she gets a lead, she’s moving already when she makes contact with the ball as well.

It can’t be that bad can it? I mean certainly the umpires wouldn’t allow Meghan to have that much of an advantage over Anne would they? Not sure what you consider a “big advantage” but I’d say 7 feet is a pretty substantial advantage just going from home to first. In fact if the number in your head from home to first is 60 feet, then Meghan is running over 10% less distance to first than Anne has to run.

You see if Meghan is smart, she would make contact with the ball when her left foot is as far forward as is legally allowed. That is with her foot in front of the batters box line but her heel still

touching it. If she does that then her left toe would be just about 54’ 3” from the front tip of first base. While the right hand hitting Anne’s back foot is actually at about 61’ 2.5”. Which is a difference of just about 7 feet.

I know what you are thinking “it’s not fair comparing Anne’s back to Meghan’s front foot”. Well the reason I did that comparison is because Anne will be using her back foot to explode off as she begins her run to first base, while Meghan will have to drive off of her left foot.

Just for the sake of trying to fill some white space for the article Anne’s left foot would be just about 59’ 3”. While due to the angle of the field, Meghan right foot is actually only 53’ 10” from the front tip of first base. One day I might actually feel guilty about teaching really fast players to slap and take that 10% savings over right handed hitters. But don’t hold your breath because I’ve always been good at math.

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