![]() Topspin creates a wake of air that pushes a ball down, as seen in the image above where air is flowing right to left past the metal cylinder in the center that is spinning clockwise. All of these sticky substances would increase friction and thus give pitchers a better grip on the ball. According to a recent Sports Illustrated article, “pitchers have begun experimenting with drumstick resin and surfboard wax.” “They use Tyrus Sticky Grip, Firm Grip spray, Pelican Grip Dip stick and Spider Tack, a glue intended for use in World’s Strongest Man competitions and whose advertisements show someone using it to lift a cinder block with his palm.” That article noted one instance of a ball so sticky players could see fingerprints on it, and another story in which a ball could be stuck to a person’s open hand with his palm facing the ground. ![]() Pitchers want more friction between their fingers and the baseball, and they are supposedly using some interesting substances to accomplish this. In my home, we keep a circular piece of rubber to increase friction and help open tough jars. One way to get more torque on the lid is to increase the frictional force. If there isn’t enough friction between your fingers and the lid, you may not be able to exert enough torque – the rotational analog of force – to get the lid to turn. You’ve surely tried to unscrew a lid from a stubborn jar. If you want to understand what all the sticky fuss is about, you need to know some friction basics. ![]() Sticky stuff increases friction and torque How does science explain all this? When you can’t get a jar open, increasing friction between your hand and the lid can help. And if pitchers can throw their fastballs, curveballs and sliders with more spin than in previous years, their pitches will be tougher to hit. As a sports physicist and longtime baseball fan, I’ve been intrigued by news reports that applying sticky substances to balls can make pitches spin faster.
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