Baseball training device

Abstract

A baseball pitcher's training device, which comprises a first display surface having an image of a life size baseball catcher crouched behind home plate, similar to the position a catcher assumes during a baseball game. The display surface further comprises a plurality of apertures positioned within the average strike zone. The device further comprises a second display surface comprising an image of a standard home plate. The second display surface extends from a lower edge of the first display surface in a manner such that the image of the catcher appears to be crouched behind the home plate. Users of this pitcher's training device can practice throwing baseball pitches through the apertures on the first display surface to thereby increase effectiveness during a baseball game. The combination of the image of the catcher and the image of home plate simulates the actual baseball game and increases the effectiveness of the practice time because the user will be practicing throwing the pitch to a catcher's mitt in various areas in the strike zone. Furthermore, the device comprises a support structure that is collapsible so as to facilitate transportation and storage of the device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An assembly for practicing baseball pitches, comprising: 
 a first display surface comprising an image of a life size catcher crouched in a manner similar to the position in which a catcher typically assumes behind home plate during a baseball game;    a plurality of targets positioned on said display surface, wherein the targets are positioned within an average strike zone around the catcher's body; and    a supporting structure that supports the display surface in a manner such that the display surface is substantially upright and planar, wherein said supporting structure is collapsible such that the display surface becomes nonplanar.    
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said assembly further comprising a second display surface, said second display surface comprises an image of a standard home plate, wherein said second display surface extends from a lower edge of the first display surface in a manner such that the image of the catcher on the first display surface appears to be crouched behind the image of a standard home plate on the second display surface.  
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of said targets comprises an aperture that is sized for a baseball to pass through.  
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein netting is attached around the periphery of each said target in a manner so as to retain a thrown baseball once the baseball passes through the aperture.  
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein an image of a catcher's mitt is formed around the periphery of each target so as to make the target simulate a catcher's mitt.  
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first display surface shows a photographed image of a life-size catcher.  
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein a first target is located in the center of the strike zone, a second target is located at the inside upper corner of the strike zone, a third target is located at the inside lower corner of the strike zone, a fourth target is located at the outside upper corner of the strike zone, and a fifth target is located at the outside lower corner of the strike zone.  
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting structure further comprises two vertical legs to which the first display surface is mounted and at least one horizontal leg which supports the vertical legs.  
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each supporting structure comprises a plurality of lightweight hollow tubes.  
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each vertical leg is connected to the horizontal leg via a pivot joint.  
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein at least one horizontal leg comprises a first and a second section, wherein the first and second sections are joined together by a pivot joint.  
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first display surface is approximately 4 feet wide and 4 feet long.  
     
     
         13 . An assembly for practicing baseball pitches, comprising: 
 a first surface wherein the first surface displays a life size image of a catcher wherein the first surface further comprises a plurality of targets positioned within an average strike zone around the catcher's body wherein the first surface is substantially planar such that the image may be displayed; and    a supporting structure that supports the first surface with two vertical legs to which the first surface is mounted and at least one horizontal leg which supports the vertical legs wherein the supporting structure is collapsible such that the first surface becomes nonplanar.    
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the targets comprises an aperture that is sized to allow a baseball to pass through.  
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein netting is attached around the periphery of the targets in a manner so retain a thrown baseball once the baseball passes through the aperture.  
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein a first target is located at the center of the strike zone, a second target is located at the inside upper corner of the strike zone, a third target is located at the inside lower corner of the strike zone, a fourth target is located at the outside upper corner of the strike zone, and a fifth target is located at the outside lower corner of the strike zone.  
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first surface displays the life size image of a catcher crouched in a manner similar to the manner in which a typical catcher crouches behind home plate during a baseball game.  
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein at least one horizontal leg further comprises a first section and a second section wherein the first and second sections are joined together by a pivot hinge that allows the first and second sections to pivot with respect to each other along the axis of the hinge.  
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first surface further comprises an image of a catcher's mitt positioned around each aperture.  
     
     
         20 . A method of training a person to pitch baseballs, comprising: 
 providing a first surface, wherein the first surface displays a life size image of a catcher wherein the first surface further comprises a plurality of targets positioned within an average strike zone around the catcher's body wherein the first surface is substantially planar such that the image may be displayed;    supporting the first surface in a manner such that the first surface is substantially upright and planar and permits a person to throw a baseball at the targets around the catcher's body;    positioning the first surface a predetermined distance from the person so as to allow the person to simulate pitching a base ball to a catcher.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein positioning the first surface a predetermined distance comprises placing the surface the distance from the home plate and the pitcher's mount in a baseball game.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising providing a second surface, wherein the second surface comprises an image of a standard home plate, wherein the second surface extends from a lower edge of the first surface so that the image of the catcher on the first display surface appears behind the home plate.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein providing the first surface comprises providing a first surface having targets that comprises a plurality of openings sufficiently sized to permit a baseball to pass through.