Baseball/softball batting technique trainer

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein relates to a device that teaches baseball batting by requiring a hitter to keep his or her head down and eyes focused on the hitting zone and tacking the ball in the hitting zone during the swing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A baseball/softball batting tee comprising:
 a base;   a support post;   a U-shaped opening mounted to an upper end thereof, said U-shaped opening defined by opposing side walls and a bottom wall; and   a rotatable ball support assembly rotationally mounted on an axle extending from one side wall of the U-shaped opening to the other; wherein the rotatable ball support assembly comprises a plurality of distinct ball-supporting sections each adapted to support a baseball.   
     
     
         2 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 1 , wherein each ball-supporting section has a top surface having an indentation with a substantially flat bottom. 
     
     
         3 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 1 , wherein each ball-supporting section has a top surface having an indentation with a substantially curved bottom. 
     
     
         4 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein each substantially curved bottom comprises a different sticker or paint design. 
     
     
         5 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 4 , wherein the different sticker or paint designs comprise different colors, different numbers, different letters, different shapes, or different animals. 
     
     
         6 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped opening further comprises one or more tensioners on at least one side wall. 
     
     
         7 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more tensioners are on at least one interior side wall of the U-shaped opening. 
     
     
         8 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 6 , wherein the rotatable ball support assembly further comprises tensioners on the one or more sides of the rotatable ball support assembly corresponding to the location of the one or more tensioners on the at least one side wall of the U-shaped opening. 
     
     
         9 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more tensioners on the at least one side wall of the U-shaped opening are magnets and one or more tensioners on the one or more sides of the rotatable ball support assembly are metal. 
     
     
         10 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more tensioners on the at least one side wall of the U-shaped opening comprise two magnets on each side wall and the one or more tensioners on the one or more sides of the rotatable ball support assembly comprise four metal pieces, one on each ball supporting section corresponding to the location of the magnets on the side walls of the U-shaped opening. 
     
     
         11 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more tensioners are capable of being adjusted to control how freely the rotatable ball support assembly rotates or spins. 
     
     
         12 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 1 , wherein the tee further comprises a wrap around the U-shaped opening. 
     
     
         13 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 1 , wherein the support post comprises telescoping vertical supports mounted on the base. 
     
     
         14 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 13 , wherein the telescoping vertical supports are configured to adjust the height of the support in accordance with the height of a batter. 
     
     
         15 . The baseball/softball tee of  claim 1 , wherein the support post comprises a lower threaded vertical support that is secured to the base by a threaded base member. 
     
     
         16 . A method for training baseball/softball batter to keep their eye on the ball, said method comprising:
 mounting a baseball or softball on the tee of  claim 1 ;   having a hitter hit the baseball or softball with a baseball/softball bat, wherein hitting the ball causes the rotatable ball support assembly to spin;   having the hitter call out the distinct ball-supporting section of the rotatable ball support assembly that is visible after the rotatable ball support assembly stops spinning;   wherein calling out the distinct ball-supporting section of the rotatable ball support assembly trains the baseball/softball batter to keep his or her eyes focused on the baseball or softball while swinging.   
     
     
         17 . A baseball/softball training kit comprising the baseball or softball tee of  claim 1  and a ball. 
     
     
         18 . The baseball/softball training kit of  claim 17 , further comprising a baseball or softball bat. 
     
     
         19 . The baseball/softball training kit of  claim 17 , wherein the ball is plastic or foam. 
     
     
         20 . The baseball/softball training kit of  claim 17 , wherein the ball is a regulation baseball or softball.