They concluded the uplift on a ball would have to overcome it's own weight to rise after being pitched straight and no pitcher was that quick.

But what if pitching into a head-wind?

At the 1980 Moscow Olympics a Soviet thrower was assisted in one of the men's field events (javelin or pole vault it was) by the stadium gates being opened to allow wind in (and then closed when another nation's competitor took part).

He won gold (and kept it - despite the clear TV evidence of assistance).

If a tunnel was behind the batter in baseball, could opening the stadium gates cause enough wind to rush through the tunnel onto the field to help the pitcher?

(The gates then closed for the away team!)

Of course any tunnels in baseball stadia aren't always behind the batter, but I would like to have seen that idea tested as in theory it could make a straight pitch rise up.


I'm not saying you'd get away with it (but see above about the Olympics where it was used).

What is the Oogie Boogie part of this?