# US 2013/0157788 A1 · Pitching device and method for baseball and softball sports > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157788 A1 - Document ID: US20130157788A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/775,246 - Filed: 2013-02-24 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-16 - Inventors: Darrell J. Moore - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157788A1 ## CPC - A63F 13/812: Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball - A63B 63/00: Targets or goals for ball games (golf cups A63B57/40) - A63B 69/00: Training appliances or apparatus for special sports (training of parachutists B64D23/00) - A63B 69/0002: {for baseball} - A63F 13/5375: for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game - A63B 2069/0006: {for pitching} - A63B 2071/0694: {Visual indication, e.g. Indicia} - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract Embodiments of a baseball or softball pitching and training device and methods of teaching a student pitcher the art of intelligent pitching are disclosed. An embodiment of a device comprises a vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone, the display surface further comprising, a plurality of areas of generally rectangular target shapes for receiving pitched balls; the generally rectangular target shapes indicating graded locations of effectiveness of pitches; and the device furthermore comprising, pitch location information, which is controlled by pitch count of “balls” and “strikes”. Furthermore, an embodiment of a method includes the steps of (1) providing the device disclosed above; and (2) providing pitch location and pitch selection information, which are controlled by pitch count of “balls” and “strikes”. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for practice pitching a baseball or a softball, comprising a vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone, said display surface further comprising, a plurality of areas of generally rectangular target shapes for receiving pitched balls; said generally rectangular target shapes indicating graded locations of effectiveness of pitches; and said device furthermore comprising, pitch location information, which is controlled by pitch count of “balls” and “strikes”. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said vertically planar display surface is supported by at least one rigid supporting member and said display surface being movably positioned behind a home plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into a plurality of graded areas of least effectiveness, to moderate effectiveness and to high effectiveness based on pitch locations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into a plurality of areas which are color-coded and visibly demarcated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into a central area of twenty-one inch by eight inch zone of a least effective target for pitch location. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into an area of thirty inch by four-and-a-half inch zone of highly effective pitch location surrounding a least effective central zone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said average strike zone is sectored into an area of thirty-nine inch by four-and-a-half inch zone of moderately effective pitch location surrounding a highly effective strike zone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 or 3-2, are associated with a highly effective pitch location area approximately six to seven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 3-0 or 3-1, are associated with a highly effective pitch location area approximately 4.25 inches lateral to or within a central strike zone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 0-1 or 1-2, is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately seven inches to eleven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 1-1 is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 0-2 is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately eleven inches to thirteen inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said pitch count of balls and strikes that is respectively, 2-2, is associated with a highly effective pitch location area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 14 A method of teaching and training a student pitcher, said method comprising steps of (1) providing a device having a vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone, said display surface further comprising, a plurality of areas of generally rectangular target shapes for receiving pitched balls; said generally rectangular target shapes indicating graded locations of effectiveness of pitches; and (2) providing pitch location and pitch selection information, which are controlled by pitch count of “balls” and “strikes”. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said vertically planar display surface having an image and dimensions of an average strike zone is firstly positioned behind a home plate and secondly adjusted in manner to conform to regulation distances in either baseball or softball sports. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, when said pitch count of balls and strikes is respectively, 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 or 3-2, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area approximately six to seven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, when said pitch count of balls and strikes is respectively, 3-0 or 3-1, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball area 4.25 inches lateral to or within a central strike zone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, when said pitch count of balls and strikes is respectively, 0-1 or 1-2, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately seven inches to eleven inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, when said count of balls and strikes is respectively, 1-1, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, when a count of balls and strikes is respectively, 0-2, a student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately eleven inches to thirteen inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein, when said count of balls and strikes is respectively, 2-2, said student pitcher throws a baseball or softball at a highly effective area of approximately six inches to nine inches lateral to a least effective strike zone. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) The method of claim 14, wherein said student pitcher reiterates said pitching method as described in claims 13 through 19 until said student pitcher is able to throw pitches sans the aid of the device of claim 1.