Device system and method for abating accidental release of a hand held sporting implement such as a baseball bat

Abstract

A new and improved device and system for abating accidental release of a sporting implement such as a baseball bat from a player's hand following a swing is provided. The hand held sporting implement includes a longitudinally extending shaft having a far end, a near end and a gripping area adjacent to the near end. The device includes an elongated strap having two ends for connecting to the shaft of the hand held sporting implement. A first end of the strap is configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at the near end thereof. A second end of the strap is configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at a point along the shaft thereof. The strap also includes a mid-portion extending between the first and second ends. The strap is positioned with a 180° twist relative to the hand held sporting implement. Once the strap has been secured to the hand held sporting implement, the user slips his non-dominant hand between the gripping area and the strap, then turns his fingers back over the top of the strap mid-portion and grabs the gripping area of the hand held sporting implement. The dominant hand then covers the strap and gripping area together in a normal manner

1 . A device for abating accidental release of a hand held sporting implement from a player's hand following a swing, wherein said hand held sporting implement includes a longitudinally extending shaft having a far end, a near end and a gripping area adjacent to said near end, said device comprising: 
 an elongated strap having a first end configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at the near end thereof, a second end configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at a point along the shaft between said near end and said far end, and a mid-portion extending between said first end and said second end;    means for securing said first end of said device to the near end of the hand held sporting implement;    means for securing said second end of said device to the shaft of the hand held sporting implement.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said elongated strap includes a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the rear surface of the first end of the strap engages the near end of the hand held sporting implement such that the mid-portion of the strap extends from said first end in a direction away from the far end of the hand held sporting implement, and the rear surface of the second end of the strap engages the shaft such that the mid-portion of the strap extends from said second end in a direction toward the near end of the hand held sporting implement such that the strap has a 180° twist therein.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the means for securing comprises a plurality of holes disposed along lateral edges of the first and second ends of the strap and laces threaded through said holes for securing said first and second ends of the strap to the hand held sporting implement.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the strap is leather.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein the laces are leather.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising means for adjusting the length of the mid-portion of the strap relative to the gripping area.  
   
   
       7 . A system for abating accidental release of a hand held sporting implement from a player's hand following a swing comprising: 
 a hand held sporting implement comprising a longitudinally extending shaft having a far end, a near end and a gripping area adjacent to said near end;    an elongated strap having a first end configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at the near end thereof, a second end configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at a point along the shaft between said near end and said far end, and a mid-portion extending between said first end and said second end;    means for securing said first end of said device to the near end of the hand held sporting implement;    means for securing said second end of said device to the shaft of the hand held sporting implement.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said elongated strap includes a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the rear surface of the first end of the strap engages the near end of the hand held sporting implement such that the mid-portion of the strap extends from said first end in a direction away from the far end of the hand held sporting implement, and the rear surface of the second end of the strap engages the shaft such that the mid-portion of the strap extends from said second end in a direction toward the near end of the hand held sporting implement such that the strap has a 180° twist therein.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the means for securing comprises a plurality of holes disposed along lateral edges of the first and second ends of the strap and laces threaded through said holes for securing said first and second ends of the strap to the hand held sporting implement.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the strap is leather.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the laces are leather.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the hand held sporting implement is a baseball bat comprising a far end, a near end, a generally cylindrical hitting area adjacent to the far end, a generally cylindrical gripping area adjacent to the near end, a tapering transition zone between the far and near ends, and a knob of a short axial length at the near end.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said elongated strap includes a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the rear surface of the first end of the strap engages the near end of the baseball bat at the knob such that the mid-portion of the strap extends from said first end in a direction away from the far end of the baseball bat, and the rear surface of the second end of the strap engages the bat in the tapering transition zone such that the mid-portion of the strap extends from said second end in a direction toward the near end of the baseball bat such that the strap has a 180° twist therein.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising means for adjusting the length of the mid-portion of the strap relative to the gripping area.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein said adjusting means comprises an adjustment lace configured to be secured around the gripping area of the bat and the mid-portion of the strap at a longitudinal position between said tapering transition zone and said near end.  
   
   
       16 . A method for securing an elongated strap to a hand held sporting implement to abate accidental release of the sporting implement from a player's hand following a swing, wherein said hand held sporting implement comprises a longitudinally extending shaft having a far end, a near end and a gripping area adjacent to said near end, and said elongated strap comprises a first end configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at the near end thereof, a second end configured to engage the hand held sporting implement at a point along the shaft between said near end and said far end, and a mid-portion extending between said first end and said second end, said method comprising: 
 securing a rear face of the first end of an elongated strap to the near end of the hand held sporting implement such that the mid-portion of the strap extends from said first end in a direction away from the far end of the hand held sporting implement;    rotating the second end of the elongated strap 180°;    securing a rear face of the second end of the elongated strap to the shaft of the hand held sporting implement at a point between said near end and said far end of the sporting implement, such that a mid-portion of said strap extends between said first end and said second end along the gripping area of the hand held sporting implement.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of: 
 inserting a non-dominant hand between the hand held sporting implement and the strap;    turning fingers of the non-dominant hand back over the front surface of the strap and gripping the gripping area of the hand held sporting implement.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of gripping the front surface of the strap and gripping area of the sporting implement with the dominant hand at a point between the non-dominant hand and the far end of the sporting implement.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further including the step of securing an adjustment lace about the mid-portion of the strap and gripping area of the sporting implement.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the securing steps are accomplished by tightening laces which are laced through holes in outer lateral edges of the first and second ends of the strap to tightly secure the strap to the sporting implement.