OT: The Throwing vs Hitting Tennis Bet

[Nick Rainey]

It is funny hearing your responses. remember the glove is on your left hand. so for a forehand shot, you have to reach across your body. the throwing side is very tough, i will gladly play anyone with the racket and them throwing. 1C5 is actually a very good player, he has some very impressive results. It should be a great match.

[1C5]

Either way, it will be a lot of fun and should be fun to watch also.

A ref/linesmen and ball kids would all be a nice touch.

[TheWorstPlayer]

I'll be a ball boy if someone will pay for my ticket.

[Gildwulf]

Great thread. I have only this to add:

I won 'Most Improved Player' my freshman year in highschool from moving up from 'the worst player on the JV tennis team' to 'the third worst player on the JV tennis team'. I quit tennis shortly after.

[cbloom]

All the people saying throwing is not hard are idiots and should take the bet with the glove.

Or seriously, just go out and try catching a tennis ball and throwing it. A tennis ball is not a baseball, for one thing it's really hard to throw with pace because it's so light, and catching a well hit ball is hella hella hard.

If you throw anything soft, the racket guy can easily run up on it and smash it and you're screwed.

[Reef]

The gloved/throwing player is at a HUGE disadvantage

1) Catching a 1st serve is retardedly difficult unless you are a major league baseball catcher. Even 2nd serves can be difficult. A good player can place the serves on either side consistently.

Throwers serves are CAKE to return. 80 mph throw = laughably easy to destroy. Plus tennis balls are lighter, so even getting to 80 is close to impossible.

2) Arm is going to be dead by the 1st set if throwing with any decent pace whatsoever. A point may have a rally that lasts 10 hits/throws.

3) Racquet can get throws MUCH easier. PLUS, good players are used to the ball coming much faster than a person can throw.

Walk in the park for a tennis pro vs skilled thrower/catcher. I give it 8:1. Maybe 10:1.

[El Diablo]

All,

Jamming a finger is imo a signficant risk for a non-gloved catcher.

[kenthecow]

Nick, I will use a racquet, you can catch. I'll play you for any amount of money =)

[talentdeficit]

all,

in approximately 30 minutes, i'll be playing my friend, an ex-ut pitcher (briefly), with him taking the catch/throw side of the bet. i told him to use any dirty tricks he can think of and he will be using a glove. i'll report back, but i expect to crush him, and he thinks he's going to get killed.

[Entity]

Does the ball have to be caught cleanly, or can you bobble it? If it, say, hits the arm, then bounces off the shoulder, then is caught, is it a catch?