THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 5, 1994 TAG: 9406020183
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN HARPER
DATELINE: 940605 LENGTH: Medium
His Airness is also finding out that maneuvering through the paint for a slam-dunk is much easier than hitting an even smaller white ball 250 yards with an odd-shaped stick. Jordan is playing baseball and golf these days.
{REST} Jordan, who has visited the Outer Banks with his pal Joe Namath, could work on both hitting a baseball and driving a golf ball here. Michael, if you're reading this, here's where to go.
To hit a baseball, the place is Frontier Golf and Batting Cages in Kill Devil Hills. Tom Wells is the owner of the business and he's more than happy to demonstrate his pitching machines.
He hands me a helmet (it's required) and a bat. I have my choice of 3 pitching speeds: 40 mph, 60 mph or 80 mph. I take the 80. Wells loads the balls into the mechanical pitching machine.
``Keep your eye on it,'' Wells yells. The first pitch is a blur and I swing as the ball hits the backstop. I dig in. This boy of summer is determined. I swing and miss on the next five pitches. I can only imagine the fear in the eyes of hitters facing Roger Clemons or Randy Johnson. Those guys throw the ball over 90 mph. Major league pitchers also throw sliders, curves, drops, split-finger fastballs and other pitches that defy the laws of gravity. I choke up on the bat and knock the sand off my shoes. Wells tells me to swing as soon as I see the ball leave the machine.
There's the pitch; I foul it off. Feeling a little more confident, I ask for a few more pitches. Three pitches are thrown; the mighty Harpo strikes out.
Wells invites me to try the 40 mph cage. I'm ready. This is more like it. The first pitch I hammer. I like it - Hammerin' Harpo. I make solid contact on 5 or 6 pitches.
By the way, the ball, about the size of a regulation baseball, is made of rubber.
How do other players do?
``Most of the guys try the 80 first,'' says Wells, ``but most of them end up in the 40 cage.''
Wells and his wife, Karen, have owned the miniature golf course and batting cages since l987. There are 4 baseball cages and one slow-pitch softball cage. Bats and helmets are provided. A bucket of 21 balls runs $2.
You soon will be able to test your pitching arm at Frontier Golf. Wells is installing a pitching course complete with a radar gun to measure the velocity of your high hard one.
After my trip to the old batting cage, it's off to the driving range.
I stop at Outer Banks Driving Range in Manteo. Curt Forrest greets me at the area's latest addition to driving ranges.
Curt Forrest and his dad, Harry, opened the range over the Memorial Day Weekend.
Forrest hands me a driver and small bucket of balls. I take my place in one of the 42 tee-boxes. My first drive travels 225 yards and it's straight. Red flags are placed at 50 yard intervals, so it's easy to get your distance. My next 10 drives also travel 200 yards and most are straight. I'm starting to feel at home on the range.
``Not bad,'' says Forrest. I think he's slightly impressed. I hand him the driver he lent me. I ask him about business.
``The response has been good, considering we just opened this weekend,'' says Forrest. He adds that both locals and tourists visited over the Memorial Day Weekend.
The Forrests keep the range open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. A bucket of 40 balls costs $3.50, 85-90 balls run $5.00, and a bucket of 130 balls is $8. Drivers are the only clubs available and they're free.
The Forrests have a putting green under construction. Also in the building stage is an area to practice iron shots. Both additions should be ready in two weeks.
I appreciate what Michael Jordan is doing even more now. Hitting a baseball is tough. The good thing about hitting the mechanical pitcher is he doesn't spit tobacco.
by CNB