At a distance, the game of baseball doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The rules and dimensions of the diamond seem peculiar and arbitrary, and describing it to a person with no knowledge of how the game is played is surprisingly difficult. And yet as America’s Pastime we know it to be a game of symmetry. It’s equal parts driven by science and mathematics as it is sheer magic.
In the documentary “Fastball,” director Jonathan Hock (known for several ESPN “30 for 30” docs) melds those two worlds, those two schools of thought, into a movie focused on one particular pitch and the way in which it has changed the game.
Geeks from MIT talk alongside baseball greats, both Hall of Famers and present day All-Stars. The film dives into the detailed mechanics that show how the human eye registers a tiny object moving at 100 mph, but also allows for some baseball history and nostalgia to seep in courtesy of narration by Kevin Costner. “Fastball” is nerdy no matter how much spin you put on it. Continue reading “Fastball”