At the batting center on the fourth floor of MK Bowl Kamigamo in Kita Ward, Kyoto City, the machines deliver balls that can be adjusted to any speed, to the detriment of batters. Many batters swing and miss at the falling balls, which are like palm balls, and even regulars are impressed, saying, "It's hard to control the ball, it's so authentic." This may be the one and only place where you can experience the modern "magic ball."
MK Bowl Kamigamo currently has four machines in operation, with ball speeds set to 75 to 105 km/h. While a reporter was hitting a fastball in the batter's box of a machine that throws balls in the 80 km/h range, the ball suddenly braked, throwing him off balance and sending his bat flying through the air.
The other machines also threw magic balls. The machine that throws 105 km/h, the fastest in the facility, made batters swing two or three times at a low, dropping ball. A male office worker who came to play said, "I can't control the ball."
A sixth-grader (12 years old) who plans to join the baseball club in the spring of 2025 and often comes here for practice was surprised that the ball had more movement than the forkball or changeup used in games. He said, "It feels a lot closer to a real game," and stood low at the plate, biting into the ball.
MK Bowl Kamigamo's batting center was established about half a century ago. The upper and lower wheels rotate, and the ball is released from them. Although the speed is not high, it is set up to be fun for parents and children. For 200 yen per game, 25 balls are thrown.
Why do the balls change randomly? When we asked the facility, they said that it is not possible to set it to a curveball, and that it is not broken.
A male staff member (41 years old) speculated that "It may be the balance between the worn ball and the wheel." It seems that balls rubbed against the machine or bat have less friction on the wheel, which reduces the number of rotations and creates a palm-like change.
The balls are replaced about once every two months, but the wheels also wear out, so even new balls can change. Wheels are replaced once every six months, and because there is a lag in the timing of the replacement, the ball always has a low spin rate.
Customers looking for a straight ball down the middle sometimes ask, "What's this?" or "Is it a changeup?" A male staff member laughs, saying, "I hope people will find this ball interesting with its unique flavor."
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[What is a palm ball?] A type of baseball curveball, it is thrown by holding the ball between the thumb and little finger and wrapping it around the palm of the hand. It has a low spin rate and changes vertically at a low speed. It can be thrown with the same form as a straight ball, so the batter is thrown off his timing. Very few players in professional baseball pitch this, and Hiroshima Toyo Carp pitcher Hiroki Tokoda and former Chunichi Dragons pitcher Takuya Asao are said to be users.
