Who needs a major celebrity to throw the first pitch at a baseball game when you can get a robot to do it? Well, that’s exactly what the Phillies thought as the “PhillieBot” threw the pitch at the first Brewers-Phillies game of the season.
After winding up much like a real pitcher would and throwing the pitch, the robot had some distinct differences from an automatic pitching machine.
The PhillieBot, designed by two University of Pennsylvania students, can change the pitches angle and velocity, much like a real pitcher.
The Phillies got the PhillieBot and the Washington Nationals were supposed to get President Obama, that is until he canceled at the last minute.
The President was already criticized for filling out his NCAA basketball brackets while the crisis in Libya worsened
So, yes, perhaps the UPenn students could create a presidential edition to replace the president at various baseball games.
The pitch traveled at around 40 mph and bounced once before reaching home plate. Of course, the Phillies fans booed hostility, something that more refined fans such as Red Sox would clearly never do.
(Via LA Times)
