A few nights back catcher Alex Avila got hit in the mask with a foul tip. The pitch was clocked at 96MPH. When the ball hit the mask sparks flew! What I am wondering is what caused the sparks? The ball is leather and lacing on the outside, no metal. It struck the metal on the mask. Was it a sudden release of static from the extreme rotation of the ball? Did the ball cause the metal parts of the mask to move so fast that they created the sparks? I have no idea. It was really COOL to see!!
Sparks fly off Avila's catchers mask
Sparks fly off Avila's catchers mask