Batting training device

Claim 1

A batting training device for training a batter to perform an accurate contact hitting swing, in which the wrists of the batter are turned relative to the arms of the batter for proper acceleration of the batting training device only during that portion of the swing subsequent to the batting training device crossing the center plane of the body of the batter, the batting training device comprising: a handle extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis, the handle having a configuration generally emulating the handle portion of a conventional bat and including a handgrip of sufficient length along the longitudinal axis to be gripped by the batter in a conventional two-hand batting manner; a weighted member of predetermined weight and dimensions; and coupling means coupling the weighted member with the handle for visible movement essentially freely along the longitudinal axis at all positions between a near position juxtaposed with the handle and a far position spaced longitudinally away from said near position in the direction extending longitudinally away from the handle, the weight and dimensions of the weighted member being sufficient to emulate the appearance and feel of the conventional bat while enabling said visible movement throughout the entire swing such that upon swinging the batting training device through the contact hitting swing, the position of the weighted member relative to the handle is observed visually, enabling adjustment of the swing by the batter to assure that the weighted member moves from said near position toward said far position in response to acceleration of the batting training device only during that portion of the swing appropriate to contact hitting.