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Online now: 4 members: 88magnum, Bump29, TABLE SETTER 11, Z Man; 108 anonymousDiscussion: Swing Makeover #12.Using a Double Knobcuff for max power and the 70's Senior Bomb Squad from St. Petersburg, Fl
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| Jan. 16, 2014 bogie Men's 65 448 posts | Swing Makeover #12.Using a Double Knobcuff for max power and the 70's Senior Bomb Squad from St. Petersburg, Fl Just finished episode #12. We show the use of a double knobcuff. This is awesome for those with both overlap and full conventional grips. It allows more contract with thumb/forefinger parts of the top hand for a stronger position of leverage and control. Also a short and fun look at 6 Senior Bomb Squad members in their 70's. One guy hit 15 out of 40 on a 300 foot fence. These guys are kind of crazy and amazing to watch. copy and paste in address bar if clicking does not play http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcGQ3EWAB0k |
| Jan. 17, 2014 StevenL.Imlay Men's 60 174 posts | Bogie Another fun and informational video in you series .... Great Job and keep it up!! You have to be impressed with these 70's stars (except for the butt sequence.) I know Hank Cluess, Matt Link and Gary Pro would have loved to be in Florida hitting with you and your 70's Bomb Squad!!!! SLi |
| Jan. 17, 2014 stick8 1991 posts | Is that double knob legal for tournament play? |
| Jan. 17, 2014 sjuhoops 145 posts | Hey Bogie. Thanks for the exciting video. I can't wait till tomorrow morning to go out and try a little different approach to hitting. I really liked the 70's BOMB squad. I have played against Thunder when he was with Rochester. He is a crusher. Thanks Steve you know Matt, Gary and I would love to be hitting with that fantastic BOMB squad. |
| Jan. 18, 2014 bogie Men's 65 448 posts | I used the double knob cuff in asa, and in senior softball all of last year and at Vegas Senior Worlds. I asked an ump and he says he didnt think its in the rule book..no one ever said anything otherwise. I think people would be amazed to see how good of line drive and homerun hitters are in their 70s nationally. Hank Cluess is as good as anyone, just amazing and in great shape as well. Jim Douglas ,the Crusher, I heard hit 2 in the Vegas Championship game and he is now 78. Makes me feel good about myself when I go and pop up twice in a game at only 60 haha. Seems like seniors keep in better shape all the time as each new group hits 70., especially with all the resources. Places like Dynamic Effort Softball at the seniorbatreviews site, are really starting to cater to the needs of senior athletes for training and nutrition...realizing we have different needs than 30 year olds. Here in the north, generally its a different lifestyle than in the south and west because alot of people stay inside and dont walk or exercise much during the winter...and we eat and drink too much. |
| Jan. 18, 2014 bogie Men's 65 448 posts | Hank, maybe we should video a segment before Vegas Worlds next October when Im there! You and Matt could assemble a group worthy and Im sure Crusher would come out. |
| Jan. 18, 2014 Bubble Gum 122 posts | What's the difference between the knob cuff and just wearing Easton Turbo Slot Batting Gloves? |
| Jan. 18, 2014 . 22 posts | Why not buy a Thumb Protector like the ones MLB players use? You can buy them at most any sporting goods store for less than $10 Just slide it on your thumb and not have any problems with umpires or rules. |
| Jan. 18, 2014 bogie Men's 65 448 posts | Never used turbo slot or thumb protector..but sound like solid ideas..will look them up |
| Jan. 18, 2014 . 22 posts | bogie Check this out..... http://www.markwort.com/featured_tab/prohitter_big.asp |
| Jan. 18, 2014 stick8 1991 posts | There is nothing in the rules that specifically states anything about the double knob. However there is a rule that says excessive tape (more than two layers) on a bat handle is considered altering a bat. Since a double knob could be thought of as adding a layer to the bat handle would a double knob also be considered altering a bat? Don't know. SSUSA Staff, are you out there? lol |
| Jan. 18, 2014 Bubble Gum 122 posts | I have used both the Thumb Protector and the Easton Turbo Slot batting gloves. I prefer the gloves over the protector. Both do about the same thing. You will never have any Rule Book or Umpire problems with either one of them. Plus they don't look as silly as having two knob cuffs on one bat! |
| Jan. 18, 2014 Snot Nose Kid 67 posts | There is a rule in the Rule Book concerning more than one knob cuff per bat! It is the rule that says "It is illegal to have more than one on a bat". It is call the "Knob Cuff Polygamy" rule! |
| Jan. 18, 2014 bogie Men's 65 448 posts | Ha, never knew it existed..thanks, its worth checking out, especially with the polygamy rule, ha |
| Jan. 19, 2014 Bubble Gum 122 posts | In some states it is still illegal to have the Knob Cuffs facing the same way! |
| Jan. 20, 2014 VINNY LV Men's 50 178 posts | afa softball u cant have a knob for insurance reasons or to much tape on knob.. have to have at least 1/4" of knob exposed so bat cant fly out of hand.. ump can warn players b4 game(if he checks bats)or players should know rules. Batter is out if he/she comes to bat with either of above instances.. Bubblegum- what states exactly, cause i know Nevada is one,so quit using them... :-) |
| Jan. 20, 2014 garyheifner 649 posts | What is the difference as to how much tape you put on a bat handle. This might go back a year or two, but I remember one of the guys who are into formulas, bat head speed etc. said that the more weight in the handle area the slower the bat head speed. So wouldn't a lot of tape on the handle be a negative. I have enjoyed meeting and hitting with bogie. He, at least, has opened a whole new discussion for the Staff. |
| Jan. 21, 2014 crusher Men's 75 524 posts | Gary - Too much tape has been against ASA or WhoEver Organization forever. In '94 playing in Industral National Championshp A in Lakeland Fl. I had to remove extra tape from my bat handle befor I could bat.... The extra tape like a bat knob helped me not throw the bat on a power swing. |
| Jan. 21, 2014 softballnuts 81 posts | I could see him at a distance as he was coming down from the mountain top. As he was walking in my direction I could see he was carrying something in his hands. Still nearer I could see he was carrying some sort of spherical object that looked like a stone. As he got even closer I noticed the object in his hands looked like a stone about the the size and shape of a softball. It also had some sort of inscription on it. Now standing in front of me, he placed the object in my hand. It was a softball made of stone. I looked at it and noticed the inscription was written in English. The inscription read.... "THOU SHALT NOT HAVE MORE THAN ONE KNOB CUFF ON A SOFTBALL BAT". |
| Jan. 21, 2014 Crusher 70 Men's 75 21 posts | Bogie: Looking forward to getting together with you and the other "Bombers" In Vegas. First tournament of the year for our 75 San Francisco Seals is in a few weeks in Palm Springs. Can't wait to get back in action! Long balls forever! Crusher |
| Jan. 21, 2014 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | bogie, thanks for those names of bombers still clearing the fences in their 70s. It would be interesting to have more names so we could both honor them and look for them in tournaments. Out here in California, perhaps the most feared slugger in the older divisions is one that most of you wouldn't know. It is Gene Conn, who will be 76 this year, and no 310 foot fence ever stopped him. I saw him hit one into the parking lot last year that hit a tree at about 320 and would have gone about 380 if not for the tree. To my knowledge, Gene doesn't travel outside of local tournaments, so he likely has never played in recent years (or ever?) on a Major Plus team. His exploits in the past decade were legendary. One player pointed out a time when he hit a ball that cleared the left field fence fair but curving foul, crossed the street, cleared the 8 foot fence of a diamond on the other side, and surprised the heck out of players there when it landed on their infield! It would have been about a 450 foot shot. |
| Jan. 21, 2014 Perl 212 posts | Very cool to recognize 70+ bombers. Here in the Florida Panhandle we have two absolute crushers. Terry Spears is a retired Army vet, about 6' and 180 lbs. One of the sweetest swings you will see and consistenly hits bombs. Terry will be playing on a 65 Major team, The Hitmen (I believe)? Wendell Rich is a monster. He's 71 and still has a bench press around 350 lbs. At 71 Wendell will be playing this season on a 50 Major team, Doc C's, and he will hold his own. These two definitely represent the 70 bomb squad. And by the way, they both hit bombs when they were young. |
| Jan. 22, 2014 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Perl, thanks. Exactly the kind of information that interests me. And I'm sure that most (all?) guys who can still hit the very long ball could also send taters over the fence with a wooden bat when they were young. |
| Jan. 22, 2014 Perl 212 posts | Omar Hopefully others will post info on 70+ bombers from thier part of the country. While seeing 50 year olds hitting it 350+ is common place, watching guys 70 and older hit bombs is exciting. |
| Jan. 23, 2014 Airbosn Men's 70 329 posts | Perl, Lets not forget, Billy Shields, (70) Wayne Yates (74) and Jake Woods (75) |
| Jan. 24, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I recently bought Jake Woods's 1962 Topps baseball card. Yes, he can hit (as do Terry, Wendell and the others)! |
| Jan. 24, 2014 Perl 212 posts | Airbosn, Lenny you are absolutely right, those guys can still hit it. Hit with Jake Woods a couple days ago and the old Detroit Tiger hit a couple in the 325-350 range. Something cool about Jake, in 1961, his rookie season with the Tigers he had 17 doubles, 14 triples, 11 HRs, and 69 RBIs. If it wasn't for his .258 BA he may have been Rookie of the year. Jakes brother, Richard, was an All American linebacker at USC and played in the NFL for 10 years. Some good genetics in the Woods family. |
| Feb. 1, 2014 bogie Men's 65 448 posts | The Long Haul Bombers before Major Leagues games is cool and impressive, but it would be a good Long Haul episode, ESPN show or preview before the all star game to bring out 10 of the best 70 and older sluggers and give each of them 10 swings. The crowd would be stunned to see them hitting those hot stadium balls out. I'm sure if you start at the younger end with Clatta and end with older guys like 78 year old Crusher Douglas...it would spin their heads. It would indeed be a unique sports show. Perhaps SSUSA with its connections, might someday get a 70s bomb squad in a major league stadium. People were amazed when Bob Woldyk in his 50s, hit one of the longest homeruns in Long Haul history off the slide at Miller Park in Milwaukee. Certainly, its a balanced game of basehitting, and power, but these athletes basehits have a lot of mustard too, ha. As I turn 60 and am lamed up from a lifetime of injuries, I'm in awe of all the 70's and 80's players nationally..especially being in the Midwest, where your expected to be old at 45. |
