..."What started as selling a few pitching machines to local Little League teams quickly transformed into more business. Soon Van Oss sold his pitching machines to clients across the United States. In the last couple of years the machines have gone international."...... READ MORE
Minnesota Entrepreneur Hits A Home Run with Pitching Machines
Minnesota Company Celebrates 13 Years & Accelerating Growth
(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–Greenfield, Minnesota) – Twelve years ago, Steve Van Oss came up with a design for a baseball and softball pitching machine that was more durable and less costly than existing machines in the marketplace. In 1999 Van Oss founded First Pitch, Inc., a Minnesota company that has been steadily growing since its inception. In 2010, its revenues were over $1 million and Van Oss is having a banner year in 2011, with sales expected to grow by fifty percent.
Started Selling Locally, Now Sells Globally - In the early years, First Pitch started out supplying pitching machines to Little League teams locally and then over the years strong word-of-mouth brought business from coaches, players and parents throughout the United States and as far away as Japan, Australia, Slovenia, Brazil and Korea.
Made in the USA – First Pitch’s baseball and softball pitching machines are all hand built at his facility in Greenfield, Minnesota, a suburb located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area.
A Variety of Machines: Football & Baseball & Softball – In late 2010, First Pitch announced the release of its new Quarterback Football Machine (priced at $1,649) as a training tool for high school, middle school and college football coaches. The Quarterback allows coaches to put players through many repetitions to help improve their performance and kicks footballs up to a distance of 80 yards and throws spirals up to a distance of 80 yards. It is also set low to the ground for practice punt snaps and fits both “Official” and “Youth” size footballs. In addition to the Quarterback, First Pitch makes four different machines for baseball, including a machine that throws curve balls. The baseball machines, which can throw balls up to 80 miles per hour, range in price from $649 to $1,649.
Popular with Schools & Leagues – First Pitch machines have become increasingly popular with schools and leagues, and Van Oss says that his company’s unique niche in the marketplace is high-quality, low-cost baseball, softball and football machines manufactured and built in the USA.
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“Our products provide an excellent value for use as an aid in baseball, softball and football training, what we call the BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK and are comparable in quality to machines that cost much more. The Quarterback is priced hundreds of dollars less than comparable machines and our baseball and softball machines cost up to half or less of comparable machines.” Steve Van Oss, Founder & President, First Pitch |
First Pitch also sells many other baseball practice tools and accessories for baseball and softball practice and warrants the operability of their pitching machine for five full years from the date of purchase for personal use and one full year for commercial use.
The machines can be purchased online along with other products at First Pitch’s website at www.firstpitch.com, First Pitch is also offering an opportunity for schools and leagues to win a free baseball pitching machine by signing up on their website.
Products can be viewed on the website at www.firstpitch.com and purchased online or by calling First Pitch toll-free at 888-400-9498 or locally at 763-565-0079.