Hand-held ball hitting training device

A hand-held ball hitting training device, comprising:

• (a) an elongated resilient rod semi-flexible and bendable upon impact by a bat with the device, said elongated rod having opposite ends;
• (b) a handle component attached on one of said opposite ends of said rod, said handle component having outer and inner annular collars formed thereon and thereabout and axially displaced from one another along said handle component;
• (c) a ball simulation component attached on the other of said opposite ends of said rod;
• (d) a hand grip-defining sleeve disposed about said handle component and captured between said outer and inner annular collars on said handle component, said sleeve being made of a resilient material permitting expansion of said cross-sectional size of said sleeve;
• and
• (e) a ramp element made of resiliently flexible material and having a central opening receiving said rod therethrough such that said ramp element is fitted over said rod and disposed adjacent to said inner collar, said conical ramp being conical in shape enabling installation of said hand grip-defining sleeve over said inner collar by causing an expansion of said cross-sectional size of said sleeve from an initial contracted condition as said sleeve is slidably forced toward said ramp and over said inner collar such that once said sleeve is past said inner collar said sleeve returns to said contracted condition in which said sleeve fits about said handle component between said outer and inner collars.