An Experimental Study of Baseballs and Softballs

The primary aim of this study is to experimentally evaluate the effects of seam orientation and angle of attack on aerodynamic drag for a series of commercially manufactured baseballs and softballs used in major tournaments. The aerodynamic forces and moments were measured experimentally over a range of wind speeds and angles of attack at different seam orientations with respect to the wind direction. The results indicate that the seam orientation had profound impact on aerodynamic characteristics of both baseball and softball. The average CD variation between sides of baseball facing the wind can vary up to 16%. The results also indicate an increase of CD values with the increase of angle of attack for all balls and seam positions tested.