An Unexpected Physics Lesson

This is late, but oh well...

While watching the All Star Game Home Run Derby, I had to laugh at yet another one of Joe Morgan's attempts to educate the audience. I learn very little baseball by listening to Joe; I learn even less about physics.

During Josh Hamilton's ridiculous display of power in the first round, he hit one shot that did not carry quite so far, and in fact appeared to sink a little, while still landing on the other side of the fence.

"That ball had a lot of topspin there," declared Morgan (or words to that effect).

Sorry, Joe, but if that ball had a lot of top-spin or over-spin as it's also called, it would not have cleared the fence. Perhaps it had less underspin than other shots, and perhaps some side-spin as well, giving it an apparent sinking trajectory. But topspin? No way. Not even a little.