All Season Baseball New York
Baseball workout
Baseball (and cricket) are the only ball games in which the defense possesses the ball. Think about that. If I'm wrong, please write to me.
For New York visitors who did not grow up near the North America/South America baseball axis, I’m proposing a $55 way to develop a feel for its offensive side.
You stand in a cage, holding a bat. A machine throws baseballs at your strike zone, beginning at 35 miles per hour---that’s about 55 kph; you can build up to about 120kph. Pros throw 150.
You’ll probably miss the first pitch, possibly foul off the next one, maybe whack the third---starting to feel good, you’ll go for a few more. Pretty soon you’re probably developing blisters, you’re sweating through your t-shirt AND your outer shirt, the waist of your jeans is beginning to soak through and you wish you’d brought a change of clothes. Maybe you should buy a sweatband for your head so that you can finish the half hour.
It’s a real workout. The older you are, the harder it is. But if you hit even only a few with really good wood, you’ll get a sense of what’s with this ethos.
Forget weekends, that's when all the kids on the UWS are in there; go on a weekday between 10:30 and 15:00. There’s a bar across the street to quench your thirst afterward or go into Fairway and buy some cold, cut up pineapple, cantaloupe or something like that.
About this spot
Explore cities like a local with Spotted by Locals - discover hidden gems and all our locals’ favourites! Get full access to our New York guide.
Nice place right!? There’s so much more to discover:
Discover all other hidden gems in New York
L&B Pizza – Gravesend Italian/American
L&B in Brooklyn, famed for its plain square slices since 1939, is a must-visit. Enjoy outdoor dining in Bensonhurst, a haven for Italian-American cuisine. Iconic!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
The Old Print Shop – Flatiron District Gallery
"The Old Print Shop" in New York is my hands-down, hands-on museum/gallery of choice. I love mid-twentieth century 'industrial' or 'city' art...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Sea & Sea – Fried fish takeout
"Sea & Sea " in NYC is a traditional-looking fish shop with wet, tiled floors, cool air, grated ice on every hand, busy with customers from near and far...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pikine – Senegalese restaurant
Come to "Pikine" in NYC to eat shoulder-to-shoulder with Senegalese people!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Modern Bread and Bagel – Extreme gluten-free bagels
"Modern Bread and Bagel" in NYC has surfaced as exemplary, using criteria such as size and texture, seed and salt density. Here are some more top picks...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Django – Tribeca jazz boîte
"Django" in NYC is proof that the city's jazz club world is recovering. I celler/cavern is intimate enough that after performances I walk over to engage...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
The Dublin House – Irish Bar Centenarian
"The Dublin House" in NYC has been around since Prohibition and it still is neighborhood-sized. By the end of the night, everyone speaks Irish here...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pain d’ Epices – French / American patisserie
"Pain d' Epices" is a French bakery in NYC that makes croissants so flaky & buttery, the only way to avoid the crumbs is to 'put your back to the wind...'
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pastrami Queen – Traditional kosher Jewish deli
"Pastrami Queen" in NYC has if not the best, among the very best pastrami sandwiches in the city. It's the kind of American excess you just can't miss...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Grandma's Place – Inclusive Books and Toys
I stumbled across a store about which I had read but never visited—the very inviting and colourful playground of Dawn Harris-Martine), retired teacher, now famous—named Grandma’s Place.
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Sisters Uptown Bookstore – African diaspora hub
"Sisters Uptown Bookstore" in NYC is a hidden shop/cultural center w/ an eye-opening trove of books by African diaspora authors. A true neighborhood spot!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Color World – Curb Side BBQ
Color World sets up on the corner of 116th and 2nd Avenue, rain or shine. There they serve beef, pork, goat, oxtail, and chicken for $10 a plate.
By