Murray Pomerance insists that only those who are--or have been--great hitters
can teach hitting . . . but it's useful to keep in mind that many people who
know things in their bodies, muscles, eyes, etc,, have not conceptualized that
knowledge . . .  certainly not every great hitter can teach others how to hit,
just as most great singers make terrible singing coaches because they have not
formulated exactly what it is they do when they sing . . . in every field there
are those who conceptually know more than do others who nevertheless have more
skill in doing [the old and nasty joke about those who can do and those who
can't teach isn't entirely groundless]
 
. . . in fact the man who had the reputation as the finest batting coach of the
modern period--if i remember correctly his name was charlie lau [or lagh or
laugh or something like that and he coached the kc royals for many years--was
himself a very poor hitter because he lacked the necessary physical skills as
well perhaps as other non-teacheable  qualities . . . none of this is news . .
. it merely differentiates between different kinds of "knowledge" one practical
and one conceptual, a distinction going back to the greeks . . . if murray
would rather do than teach or talk that's great . . . if there were no people
who did things i would have nothing to understand . . . but i for my part am
more interested in understanding [conceptualizing] as much as i can can and in
the greatest possible detail everything that i can about the things that others
much more talented and skilled than i have done
 
mike frank
 
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