# What's the fastest moving object in sports? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 25, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564 "2003-10-25T22:24:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/1 "2003-10-25T22:24:21Z")
I remember that I used to hear that the hockey puck was the fastest moving in all sports(racing not counting as a sport). However, I haven’t heard anyone say this for quite some time. This led me to believe that it was true no longer. So, I wondered what overtook the puck. So, what is the fastest moving object in sports? For the purposes of this topic, the object must be propelled only by the strength of one person, without using any machines. A bicycle would count as a machine, a golf club or a hockey stick would not. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/2 "2003-10-25T22:27:49Z")
IIRC, the ball(?) used in jai alai. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/3 "2003-10-25T22:30:28Z")
> [@](#): > > For the purposes of this topic, the object must be propelled only by the strength of one person, without using any machines. Dang! I was going to mention the shooting sports! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/4 "2003-10-25T22:30:57Z")
Hockey pucks aren’t even close. It’s the jai alia ball. Not, mind you, that you’d want to be hit by Ray Bourque’s slapshot. ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/5 "2003-10-25T22:57:48Z")
Peregrine falcons - used in Falconry - can reach 217 mph during a dive. The fastest Jai Alai speed seems to be 188 mph. Falconry is by definition a sport 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/6 "2003-10-25T22:59:17Z")
Yes, but a falcon fails one of the OP’s restrictions: > [@](#): > > …the object must be propelled only by the strength of one person… Nice try. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/7 "2003-10-25T23:12:09Z")
[This site](http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/TinaCheung.shtml) claims it’s badminton: > [@](#): > > So where does the fastest tennis serve rank among other sports? It is ranked third, trailing behind badminton with a fastest recorded smash of 89 m/s (199 mph) and jai-ala, where a pelota was thrown at 84 m/s (188 mph) in 1979. Hockey and squash are tied for forth place with speeds up to 54 m/s (120 mph). ---
**Author:** ![hauss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5fc32e/32.png) [@hauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hauss)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/8 "2003-10-25T23:19:35Z")
Golf club head (Tiger Woods)? Probably not 199mph, but close I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/9 "2003-10-25T23:31:47Z")
Is Archery (including the use of crossbows) allowed? - OK, the object is propelled by the bowstring, but the energy to cock the crossbow (or draw the bowstring) comes entirely from the human. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/10 "2003-10-25T23:36:07Z")
Ack! Bow/crossbow = machine; ignore me. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/11 "2003-10-25T23:46:36Z")
Well, considering that racquets, hockey sticks, and pelota are simple machines as well… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/12 "2003-10-25T23:57:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorsnak \* > Well, considering that racquets, hockey sticks, and **pelota** are simple machines as well… The jai alai equivalent of the racket is called a [_cesta_](http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Nova/2704/jaialai_eq.html), whereas the pelota is the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/13 "2003-10-26T00:15:35Z")
I really have to question the 120 mph speed with relation to hockey. That speed is alway attributed to Bobby Hull, who did have one hell of a slapshot. However, that 120 was recorded in the early 1970’s and I don’t think that the measuring equipment was all that good. Since the NHL has had a skills competition, I think that the fastest shot recorded was maybe 108. I think that is probably a more realistic number than 120. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/14 "2003-10-26T00:18:24Z")
Oopsie. Bad, bad, bad Gorsnak. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/15 "2003-10-26T01:02:09Z")
Would throwing a javelin off a cliff qualify? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/16 "2003-10-26T01:06:59Z")
Is a bullwhip used in any sport? Because the tip exceeds the speed of sound, making the \*crack[p/i] sound. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/17 "2003-10-26T01:08:11Z")
…and my coding exceeds the speed of “D’oh!” ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/18 "2003-10-26T01:12:14Z")
Well, if you’re going to excude Bobby Hull’s slapshot because it was recorded in the 70’s, you also have to exclude the jai-ala record, as it comes from 1979. I think a more likely explanation is the curve of Hull’s stick than any changes in measuring equipment. Also, what in the world is jai-ala? I tried googling it, but I didn’t get any explanations. **Fear Itself** ’s link gave some pictures, but I’m still unclear as to how to play the game. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/19 "2003-10-26T02:59:43Z")
Well, first off, **Rysto** , you have to be South American. Then, you become suicidal. Then, you let people bet on whether or not a speeding wooden ball is going to impact your fragile head. Fun to watch, tho… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564/20 "2003-10-26T03:03:00Z")
[Jai Alai rules](http://www.fla-gaming.com/rules.htm) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-moving-object-in-sports/209564.md?page=2)