A ball launching apparatus, comprising: a housing having a supporting base and an interior compartment; a funnel at an upper end of the housing, the funnel being configured to gravitationally direct a ball into a launch point within the interior compartment; a chute adjacent the launch point defining a through-opening along the housing; a platform within the interior compartment, wherein an angle of the platform is adjustable relative to the base; a drive motor configured to rotate a drive shaft within the interior compartment; an elongated hammer residing along the platform, the hammer comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a through-opening for receiving the drive shaft, wherein the distal end of the hammer defines a ball striking surface, with the distal end being biased toward the launch point by use of a spring maintained in tension to provide a biasing force, and wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the distal end of the hammer away from the launch point; a ratchet head connected to and configured to rotate with the drive shaft, the ratchet head comprising ratchet teeth; a strike post residing along the platform; a trigger release arm comprising a proximal end and a distal end, with the distal end of the trigger release arm supporting a pawl, and with the pawl being configured to individually engage the ratchet teeth of the ratchet head and then release the ratchet head when a proximal end of the trigger release arm has contacted the strike post, whereupon the hammer is released to allow the biasing force on the hammer to cause the ball striking surface of the hammer to counter-rotate back towards the launch point, thereby striking the ball and launching the ball through the chute; and a tension adjustment knob residing external to the housing, wherein an adjustment of the tension adjustment knob adjusts the location of the strike post along the platform, thereby adjusting the degree of tension placed on the spring before the trigger release arm contacts the strike post. a housing having a supporting base and an interior compartment; a funnel at an upper end of the housing, the funnel being configured to gravitationally direct a ball into a launch point within the interior compartment; a chute adjacent the launch point defining a through-opening along the housing; a platform within the interior compartment, wherein an angle of the platform is adjustable relative to the base; a drive motor configured to rotate a drive shaft within the interior compartment; an elongated hammer residing along the platform, the hammer comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a through-opening for receiving the drive shaft, wherein the distal end of the hammer defines a ball striking surface, with the distal end being biased toward the launch point by use of a spring maintained in tension to provide a biasing force, and wherein rotation of the drive shaft causes rotation of the distal end of the hammer away from the launch point; a ratchet head connected to and configured to rotate with the drive shaft, the ratchet head comprising ratchet teeth; a strike post residing along the platform; a trigger release arm comprising a proximal end and a distal end, with the distal end of the trigger release arm supporting a pawl, and with the pawl being configured to individually engage the ratchet teeth of the ratchet head and then release the ratchet head when a proximal end of the trigger release arm has contacted the strike post, whereupon the hammer is released to allow the biasing force on the hammer to cause the ball striking surface of the hammer to counter-rotate back towards the launch point, thereby striking the ball and launching the ball through the chute; and a tension adjustment knob residing external to the housing, wherein an adjustment of the tension adjustment knob adjusts the location of the strike post along the platform, thereby adjusting the degree of tension placed on the spring before the trigger release arm contacts the strike post.