Training Baseball for Hitting Practice

Abstract

A training baseball provides at least one flat surface for use as a visual indicator during hitting practice using a batting tee. Multiple flat surfaces may be incorporated for accommodating multiple skill levels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A training baseball for hitting practice comprises:
 a spherical body;   at least one flat surface; and   each of the at least one flat surface being positioned on the spherical body.   
     
     
         2 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one flat surface is made by removing material from the spherical body. 
     
     
         3 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 the spherical body comprises a center point; and 
 each of the at least one flat surface comprise a normal axis. 
 
     
     
         4 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the normal axis passes through the center point. 
     
     
         5 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 3  comprises:
 the normal axis being oriented normal to the at least one flat surface; and 
 the normal axis being centrally positioned with the at least one flat surface. 
 
     
     
         6 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 3  comprises:
 a first axis and a second axis passing through the center point; 
 the first axis and the second axis being oriented perpendicular to each other; 
 a cut plane being oriented normal to the first axis and parallel to the second axis; 
 the cut plane being offset from the second axis along the first axis; 
 a cut vector being oriented away from the center point along the first axis; and 
 the cut plane being coincident with the at least one flat surface, wherein the at least one flat surface is formed by removing material from the spherical body in a volume of space delineated by the cut plane and the cut vector. 
 
     
     
         7 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 1  comprises a first surface and a second surface from the at least one flat surface. 
     
     
         8 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are positioned opposite each other on the spherical body along an axis passing through the center point. 
     
     
         9 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are rectangular. 
     
     
         10 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first surface has a larger area than the second surface. 
     
     
         11 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 a plurality of dimples; and 
 the plurality of dimples being equally distributed across the spherical body. 
 
     
     
         12 . The training baseball for hitting practice as claimed in  claim 1  comprises:
 a plurality of laces; and 
 the plurality of laces being arranged across the spherical body in a manner common to baseballs.