« Home | MLB Baseball Team Logo Vortex Sublimated Mouse Pad... » | 2007 Topps Baseball Factory HOLIDAY Complete Set -... » | Options, Futures and Other Derivatives (6th Edition) » | JUGS Bulk Box of 100 Bulldog Poly Baseballs » | RacorPro X-Rack Sports Storage Rack #PXR-R » | Oregon State University Dorm Desk Lamp » | BCW Woodbase Baseball & Card Holder (Real Walnut) ... » | Baseball - Wilson Youth Metallic Batting Helmet Wi... » 

Monday, June 23, 2008 

Fisher-Price Better Batter Baseball

ESPN Better Batter Baseball from Fisher-Price An innovative design keeps the hits coming with the ESPN Better Batter Baseball from Fisher Price baseball. This Fisher-Price toy allows a child to keep his eye where it should be when learning to bat... The batting trainer from Fisher Price and ESPN makes learning to hit the ball fun and easy. The little slugger just needs to simply tap the plate of the Fisher Price toy to load a ball and watch as the mechanical arm drops down, picks up the ball and raises it back to its proper position. The batting trainer from Fisher Price baseball features sound effects including traditional baseball chatter and ESPN music. Sports play is not just centered on one basic skill set as the Fisher Price baseball trainer encourages both healthy physical and emotional development. This batting trainer from Fisher Price and ESPN features grow-with-me features, which let kid aquire new skills at their own pace, proving a boost of self-confidence.
Customer Review: Fun little toy and worth the $40
Not sure why this toy got a bad rap. I bought it for my 4 year old son for his last birthday and he's used it a lot. It's a little flimsy but all it's doing is holding a baseball. My son has missed the ball and hit just about every piece of this and it's never broken. My only complaint was if you lose or dent a ball (ooops, guess it's just for kids) you couldn't buy more. However, thanks to a review on here I found out that's not true. So those that are giving it a bad rap because you can't buy replacement parts, don't listen to them. https://store.mattel.com/CatalogBrowser.aspx?cat=140&sec=9141&productid=none&tx=103 I just ordered 6 more balls and an extra bat (I have a puppy who likes bats). The balls were $6 for 3 balls and the bat was a couple bucks. $3/shipping so for 6 balls and a bat I paid $17, not bad. It works as described, loads the balls, lets your kid hit at different heights, and is fun. Is it the best toy out there, not, but it's worth more than 1 star!
Customer Review: Replacement parts are available.
My kids love this toy and replacement parts are availabe at servicemattell.com (product k9873) or go to this link https://store.mattel.com/CatalogBrowser.aspx?cat=140&sec=9141&productid=none&tx=103


Our high school baseball coach was a true student of the game of baseball. Oren Prentice "Piggy" Mitchell was the original "The Thinker" as it relates to baseball and how to play with winning strategies.

Hewitt-Trussville high school for many many years would play John Carroll high school in baseball. The competitive spirit and one upsmanship between these two high school coaches was a thing from which memories are so fondly reflected upon.

Piggy Mitchell was the coach at Hewitt-Trussville and Tom Banks Sr. was the legendary coach for John Carroll. Our home and home games were played at Lane Park in Homewood for John Carrolls' home field and at Trussville for Hewitts' home field.

John Carroll home field being Lane Park is just as the name implies was in fact a beautiful city of Homewood park . The park was picturesque in every word. Beautiful large oak trees well manicured grounds, flowers blooming with a profusion of all colors. The centerpiece for the park was a large fish pond filled with multicolored goldfish and aquatic plants. Nothing could be prettier than Lane Parks' fish pond.

This fish pond was located in straight away center field of the baseball diamond. To blast a baseball with enough gusto to reach the pond would take a poke stronger than "Mighty Casey."

Now my real story of Piggy and the Fish Pond. To play John Carroll at Lane Park on one of our games our team arrived well before game time. It is always customary for teams to both take a round of batting practice and infield practice early and way before game time.

Normal routine is that the visiting team takes batting practice then the home team. After batting practice the teams then do infield practice with the coach doing the hitting to his infielders. There were several things which did not go according to good sportmanship on this particular day. Piggy was getting more and more frustrated and madder as game time approached.

Let me set the scene for you. Shades Valley high school and John Carroll high school both shared use of Lane Park for their respective home games. Shades Valley it appears had used the field the day prior and did not drag the infield and leave the diamond in tip top condition for our game. John Carroll arrived at the field a little late therefore no effort was made to make the infield playing surface be smooth and game ready.

Alright now you know the home team or host did not have the field ready as normal circumstances and protocol calls for. This was ample reason for Piggy to be a little teed off. The real kicker was when John Carroll during batting practice allowed everyone on the team practice hitting till his hearts content. The team bat boy even took batting practice. Now Piggy was fit to be tied.

When Hewitt began its' infield practice the shortstop was consistently receiving bad hops due to the condition of the infield diamond not being pregame dragged. Naturally coach Piggy was now ready to become belligerent and we all kept our distance.

The game started with Hewitt the visiting team naturally we were in bat first. John Carroll was coming to bat in the bottom of the first inning. Now comes one of the great moments of my early baseball playing memories. As our pitcher walked upon the pitchers mound to make his first pitch "Piggy" calls time walks to the pitchers mound and asks Hal Gwin our pitcher for the ball.

Piggy without any fanfare walks with the ball in his hand to center field and heaves the ball into the middle of Lane Parks beautiful Fish Pond.

Folks it happened and with a little consternation the umpire asked for another ball and the game went on. This is the stuff which makes our game of baseball so great.

Batter Up ! Lets Play Ball...

Find Wiley B. Channell, Major USMC (retired) at http://www.baseballfarming.com for all about baseball and More!

cf baseball store