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Why a Curveball Curves: The Incredible Science of Sports
Sports. They get our blood pumping and our hearts racing. Fans scream and cheer as their favorite athletes run, throw, pedal, dive, or swing their way to victory. But what makes an athlete successful? Why do some players excel when others fall behind?
In Why a Curveball Curves , the experts at Popular Mechanics , along with top athletes, coaches, and sports journalists, explore the science behind sports. Fluid dynamics, biomechanics, and technology determine everything from speed in cycling to protection in football to performance measurement in all sports. This book is designed for both the player and the fan, helping athletes become better-prepared and giving enthusiasts a more complete understanding and appreciation of the subtle nuances of competition.
The explanations are clear, entertaining, and written by people who really love their game. The issues discussed range from Tiger’s swing to Lance’s legs, from gene doping to the physics of why a seemingly straight kick curves drastically just before its target—in other words, how to bend it like Beckham—plus so much more.
Among the specialists who weigh in Matt Bahr, who kicked the winning field goal in Super Bowl XXV; Bob Bowman, who coached swimmer Michael Phelps to a record-setting eight medals in the 2004 Olympics; Lou Piniella, manager of the Chicago Cubs; Peter Brancazio, Professor Emeritus of Physics at Brooklyn College and author of Sports Science ; and Jim Kaat, a major league pitcher for 25 years.
In Why a Curveball Curves , the experts at Popular Mechanics , along with top athletes, coaches, and sports journalists, explore the science behind sports. Fluid dynamics, biomechanics, and technology determine everything from speed in cycling to protection in football to performance measurement in all sports. This book is designed for both the player and the fan, helping athletes become better-prepared and giving enthusiasts a more complete understanding and appreciation of the subtle nuances of competition.
The explanations are clear, entertaining, and written by people who really love their game. The issues discussed range from Tiger’s swing to Lance’s legs, from gene doping to the physics of why a seemingly straight kick curves drastically just before its target—in other words, how to bend it like Beckham—plus so much more.
Among the specialists who weigh in Matt Bahr, who kicked the winning field goal in Super Bowl XXV; Bob Bowman, who coached swimmer Michael Phelps to a record-setting eight medals in the 2004 Olympics; Lou Piniella, manager of the Chicago Cubs; Peter Brancazio, Professor Emeritus of Physics at Brooklyn College and author of Sports Science ; and Jim Kaat, a major league pitcher for 25 years.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2008
1 person is currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Frank Vizard
7 books3 followersFrank Vizard 's editorial career includes stints as an editor with Popular Science magazine and the motoring correspondent for Departures Magazine. He has written for numerous publications ranging from Business Week to USA Today. He is also the author of Why A Curveball Curves and co-author of The 21st Century Soldier. His Irish Norman family has moved between Ireland and the USA for generations.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 10, 2016
it actually contained very little science :( and also i wasnt all that interested in all the sports (like who gives a shit about bowling and golf???)
September 28, 2015
Have you ever wondered how Mike Tyson knocked out so many people with such ease, or why Mariano Rivera is so dominate on the pitcher's mound? There are many amazing plays in the sports world and believe it or not, there is some science behind them. This book will take you into deep detail on many things that leave sports watchers in aw. Not only does it focus on the mainstream sports, it takes the reader into bowling, cycling, golf, hockey, skiing, swimming, and diving. It's a book that can reach out to many audiences who like sports. Majority of sport books are biased, making it sound like that sport is the hardest and best out there but not in this one. Know one knows if baseball is harder than baseball, after reading this book it might make it easier for you to decide.
Many influential talented athletes are included in the writing: Mariano, Ruth, Nash, Ronaldo, and Kobe Bryant are just a few to begin with. One second you are at the 1928 World Series reading how Babe Ruth hits home runs, and the next you’re reading the science behind David Beckham’s miraculous shot. “Bend it like Beckham” is a saying many non soccer players would understand, after reading the curvature, the speed it left his foot at, and the way the ball dropped puts in perspective of how amazing it actually was. Imagine going through almost every sport and finally understanding how these athletes do what they do.
I wanted to read this book because the title and cover really intrigued me. I have been a baseball fan my whole life, and when the title is Why a Curveball Curves, I immediately felt connected. It reminded me of my life because I love to watch sports science but they rarely are on and don’t offer as much information. This book understands that not everyone is a genius in science or math, it reaches out to the less informed making it easy for the reader to understand. The author and I can relate because it seems like we share the same interest on learning and understanding what isn’t always noticed by less avid sport watchers. Sports might seem dumb and boring to others, but they don’t see the skill and finesse needed to be great. Why a Curveball Curves definitely lived up to its promise, it left me smarter wondering what else I see everyday but don’t understand.
Many influential talented athletes are included in the writing: Mariano, Ruth, Nash, Ronaldo, and Kobe Bryant are just a few to begin with. One second you are at the 1928 World Series reading how Babe Ruth hits home runs, and the next you’re reading the science behind David Beckham’s miraculous shot. “Bend it like Beckham” is a saying many non soccer players would understand, after reading the curvature, the speed it left his foot at, and the way the ball dropped puts in perspective of how amazing it actually was. Imagine going through almost every sport and finally understanding how these athletes do what they do.
I wanted to read this book because the title and cover really intrigued me. I have been a baseball fan my whole life, and when the title is Why a Curveball Curves, I immediately felt connected. It reminded me of my life because I love to watch sports science but they rarely are on and don’t offer as much information. This book understands that not everyone is a genius in science or math, it reaches out to the less informed making it easy for the reader to understand. The author and I can relate because it seems like we share the same interest on learning and understanding what isn’t always noticed by less avid sport watchers. Sports might seem dumb and boring to others, but they don’t see the skill and finesse needed to be great. Why a Curveball Curves definitely lived up to its promise, it left me smarter wondering what else I see everyday but don’t understand.
September 14, 2015
This is a book that I would only recommend to people who like sports and want to understand the science behind curving a ball in many sports. I was surprised at how a curveball relates to so many sports (golf, diving, baseball, basketball, and tennis to name a few). The author uses famous athletes and critiques how they were so successful with the curveball in their sport. This was a book with a lot of information and does a good job of scientifically breaking down the curveball.
October 24, 2008
It should have been called "Why am I glad I just borrowed this book from the library instead of shelling out 18 bucks"
September 27, 2011
Not very good. I love science and sports. I plat sports, I watch sports, I have degrees in the sciences, and I've studied biomechanics. I've also taken a class on materials science and sports. So while I thought I would be the perfect audience for this book, maybe I was overqualified for its content.
I don't think that's the case, though. Rather, I could have learned something but the physics was often so poorly explained, or not sufficiently explained, that I gained little that I didn't already know. In reference to the cover story, the best sections were those on baseball flight, and on the differences between different pitches, but I didn't learn very much about any other sport.
What is most bothersome about this book is that little of the content is original. Most of it is taken from old articles, some of which are very old and were written by "experts" who knew little about science. That would be fine if the book was marketed as a "What people used to think about the science of sports," instead of as an explanatory treatment of what we know now.
I don't think that's the case, though. Rather, I could have learned something but the physics was often so poorly explained, or not sufficiently explained, that I gained little that I didn't already know. In reference to the cover story, the best sections were those on baseball flight, and on the differences between different pitches, but I didn't learn very much about any other sport.
What is most bothersome about this book is that little of the content is original. Most of it is taken from old articles, some of which are very old and were written by "experts" who knew little about science. That would be fine if the book was marketed as a "What people used to think about the science of sports," instead of as an explanatory treatment of what we know now.
Read
July 25, 2011Another smart gift from my wife, who keeps surprising me with books I like to read that AREN'T on my Amazon Wish List. :-) The book was fun for me because I like sports and science. Two great tastes thrown together. The book was a bit uneven though, getting into the nitty-gritty in some sports while just glancing over others. Everyone should have gotten a fair shake. Still, I enjoyed very much.
December 2, 2011
Basically, this contains a bunch of Popular Mechanics articles, or articles like them. But they all center around the theme of sports. Various articles analyze why rotating the football makes it fly more efficiently, the science of training for a marathon, and uses physics to determine if a rising fastball really rises.
March 29, 2015
I was looking for something not to dense with explanation. Chapters were easy to consume bite size chapters. Explained a lot I wanted to know. Like why throwing a bowling strike is a holy grail quest for me. It also helped me understand why certain pitches did what thy did. I like sports many sports and this got me to take notice of soccer. Even liked the chapters on knockouts by boxers.
September 21, 2015
I liked this book a lot. It was very descriptive about the science behind a curveball and how baseball is turning into more of a hitters game than it is of a pitchers game. It tells you abput a lot of other sports in the book also. I reccomend this book to people who like sports.
December 20, 2008
a geeky sports book. perfect for me. fun and lots of info
March 25, 2010
Interesting science on over a dozen different sports. From basketball to skiing to running.
June 2, 2011
This is such a great book....a compilation of Popular Science articles some written by athletes....about why physics is important to their sport.
July 29, 2013
Just read the parts about baseball and soccer. Liked learning about the variety of pitches!
July 19, 2012
It's so long I don't really read it; I look at the pictures and read a little.
June 24, 2013
Don't jump off the bottom step!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews