Pre-War Players Who Were Incredible Athletes - Non-HOFers

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I call BS since that is over 3 seconds faster than the stated record.

Basically you're saying that Bell could run 360 feet from a standing start around corners in the same time Usain Bolt could run 328 feet out of blocks in a straight line.

Funny you say that, because I have a track and field buddy who said the exact same thing. But I don't doubt the account at all. For example, Jorge Mateo of the Baltimore Orioles has been clocked in his career at over 33 feet per second. So all Cool Papa Bell had to do was be about 10% faster than Mateo, or at about 36 feet per second. Because the diamond is 360 feet around its perimeter, a 36 feet per second rate would bring him all the way home in ten seconds.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

33 feet per second in a straight line. you seen to ignore how much a 90 degree turn slows you down. Also a 10% difference over that short a difference is monumental.

10% in the 100m at the olympics would be a full second faster than the competition in a race that's often decided by tenths or even hundredths of a second. In short, listen to your friend.