April 5, 2006, 7:35AM
(BW) Texas Theme Park Takes Baseball to the Extreme with ProBatter Pitching Simulator; Visitors Can Now Bat Against The Pros

By Business Editors
(c) 2006 Business Wire

MILFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2006--ProBatter Sports has sold its breakthrough baseball pitching simulator to the Adventure Zone theme park in El Paso, Texas. Combining the latest video and computer technology, the ProBatter II system almost perfectly duplicates the experience of facing live pitching, offering visitors the ultimate major league experience.

Once upon a time, roller coasters were the last word in thrills for visitors to amusement parks around the country. Over the years, other attractions have arrived to capture the imagination of high octane fans who seek to push the envelope. Now baseball enters the realm of extreme entertainment with the introduction of the ProBatter II system.

"When people see the ProBatter II for the first time, their response is always, 'Wow, I gotta try that! And after they do, they're hooked -- they just keep coming back for more,'" said Jerry Marleau, vice-president of the Adventure Zone. "There's never been anything like this before, and it's destined to become one of the cornerstones of our family entertainment center."

Before ProBatter, one could only imagine what it would be like to face a genuine 100 mph major league fastball. Now for the first time, visitors to the Adventure Zone will be able to experience the thrilling collision of virtual reality with the adrenaline rush of stepping in against a pitcher who throws as hard as Randy Johnson or Roger Clemens.

The ProBatter II system allows a hitter to face the life-sized image of an actual pitcher winding up (or throwing from a stretch) and delivering a pitch on a video screen. An actual ball is thrown through the screen by a computer-controlled pitching module, which can deliver pitches at major league velocities with pinpoint accuracy. Although one might loosely regard the ProBatter II as a pitching machine, to do so would be like comparing a carnival ride to a flight simulator used to train commercial airline pilots.

Big league teams, including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and New York Mets, use ProBatter simulators as a part of their regular training regiments to help hitters sharpen their skills.

Open for three years, the Adventure Zone has quickly become one of the most popular family destinations in the El Paso area. The ProBatter II system is poised to become a favorite attraction among members of the general public visiting the park, as well as for local organized baseball teams, who will be able to utilize the breakthrough simulator to train hitters.

Thrillseekers visiting the Adventure Zone have a good reason to celebrate, as do those who take their baseball seriously. For anyone who has the guts to step in against the ProBatter II, the ultimate major league experience is finally here.