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Association between visual reaction time and batting, fielding, and earned run averages among players of the Southern Baseball League

Authors:
John G Classe at University of Alabama at Birmingham
John G Classe
Leo Semes at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Leo Semes
K M Daum
K M Daum
K M Daum
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R Nowakowski
R Nowakowski
R Nowakowski
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Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between vision reaction time (VRT) and batting, fielding, and pitching skill in baseball. A vision screening of 213 professional baseball players in the Southern Baseball League was performed, and the visual reaction times of these players were determined. Official Southern Baseball League statistics were consulted to obtain the players' batting average, fielding average, and earned run average. The mean visual reaction time for all players was 239 msec. There was no significant association between mean VRT and age or race. The mean VRT for dominant eyes was not significantly different from the mean VRT for nondominant eyes. For the 92 players who batted at least 100 times, an association was found between mean VRT and batting average (p = 0.017). For the 168 fielders in the league playing at least 20 games, no statistically significant association was found between mean VRT and fielding average. Similarly, no association was found between mean VRT and earned run average for the B8 pitchers who had participated in more than 20 games. An association was found between visual reaction time and batting skill in baseball. No association was found between visual reaction time and fielding or pitching skill.
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BACKGROUND:
METHODS:
RESULTS:
CONCLUSIONS:
J Am Optom Assoc. 1997 Jan;68(1):43-9.
Association between visual reaction time and batting, fielding, and
earned run averages among players of the Southern Baseball
League.
Classé JG , Semes LP, Daum KM, Nowakowski R, Alexander LJ, Wisniewski J, Beisel JA, Mann K, Rutstein R,
Smith M, Bartolucci A.
Abstract
This study was performed to investigate the relationship between vision reaction
time (VRT) and batting, fielding, and pitching skill in baseball.
A vision screening of 213 professional baseball players in the Southern Baseball
League was performed, and the visual reaction times of these players were determined. Official
Southern Baseball League statistics were consulted to obtain the players' batting average, fielding
average, and earned run average.
The mean visual reaction time for all players was 239 msec. There was no significant
association between mean VRT and age or race. The mean VRT for dominant eyes was not
significantly different from the mean VRT for nondominant eyes. For the 92 players who batted at
least 100 times, an association was found between mean VRT and batting average (p = 0.017). For
the 168 fielders in the league playing at least 20 games, no statistically significant association was
found between mean VRT and fielding average. Similarly, no association was found between
mean VRT and earned run average for the B8 pitchers who had participated in more than 20
games.
An association was found between visual reaction time and batting skill in
baseball. No association was found between visual reaction time and fielding or pitching skill.
PMID: 9037989
[Indexed for MEDLINE]
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... Previous works have examined the relationship between visual reaction time (RT) tasks and batting performance (4,6,17). Currently, findings from previous work are mixed on whether improvements in visual RT are associated with in-season and simulated batting performance (4,6,17). Moreover, researchers have found that concussions result in reduced batting performance due to likely slowed information processing speed (25). ...
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