Association between visual reaction time and batting, fielding, and earned run averages among players of the Southern Baseball League.
BACKGROUND
This study was performed to investigate the relationship between vision reaction time (VRT) and batting, fielding, and pitching skill in baseball.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Classé
J G
JG
School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294, USA.
Semes
L P
LP
Daum
K M
KM
Nowakowski
R
R
Alexander
L J
LJ
Wisniewski
J
J
Beisel
J A
JA
Mann
K
K
Rutstein
R
R
Smith
M
M
Bartolucci
A
A
D001484:Baseball; D006801:Humans; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity