NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Knuckleball

A knuckleball (or knuckler for short) is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which can cause the pitch to change direction, including corkscrew, mid-flight. This makes the pitch difficult for batters to hit, but also difficult for pitchers to control. The challenge also extends to the catcher—who must at least attempt to catch the pitch—and the umpire, who must determine whether the pitch was a strike or ball. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 752 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (928 Ã— 740 pixel, file size: 257 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 752 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (928 Ã— 740 pixel, file size: 257 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966 in Melbourne, Florida) is a right-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played with the Boston Red Sox since 1995. ... This article is about the sport. ... The typical motion of a pitcher In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. ... Vortex created by the passage of an aircraft wing, revealed by coloured smoke A vortex (pl. ... Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ... This article is about the player in baseball. ... The position of the catcher Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in cricket. ... Home plate umpire Gary Darling signals that the last pitch was a strike In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and meting out discipline. ...

Origins

The identity of the first pitcher to throw a knuckleball is uncertain, but it appears to have been developed in the early 20th century. Lew "Hicks" Moren of the Philadelphia Phillies was credited as its inventor by the New York Press in 1908. However, Eddie Cicotte apparently also came up with the pitch while at Indianapolis in 1906, and brought it to the major leagues with him two years later. Since Cicotte had a much more successful career (and also gained later notoriety as one of the players implicated in the Black Sox scandal), his name is the one most often associated with the invention of the pitch today. 1919 photograph of Eddie Cicotte, public domain. ... 1919 photograph of Eddie Cicotte, public domain. ... Edward Victor Cicotte (June 19, 1884 - May 5, 1969 Born and Died in Detroit, Michigan) (pronounced See-Cot) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball best known for his time with the Chicago White Sox. ... Lew Hicks Moren pitched six seasons from 1903-1910, two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883â€“present) East Division (1969â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 14, 20, 32, 36, 42 Name Philadelphia Phillies (1884â€“present) Philadelphia Quakers (1883-1889) (Also referred to as Blue Jays 1943-1945 despite formal name remaining Phillies) Other nicknames The Phils, The Phightin Phils... Year 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Edward Victor Cicotte (June 19, 1884 - May 5, 1969 Born and Died in Detroit, Michigan) (pronounced See-Cot) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball best known for his time with the Chicago White Sox. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Major Leagues redirects here. ... Not to be confused with the Baltimore Black Sox of the Negro Leagues. ...

Grip and motion of knuckleball

As used by Cicotte, the knuckleball was originally thrown by holding the ball with the knuckles, hence the name of the pitch. Ed Summers, a Pittsburgh teammate of Cicotte who adopted the pitch and helped develop it, modified this by holding the ball with his fingertips and using the thumb for balance. This grip can also include digging the fingernails into the surface of the ball. The fingertip grip is actually more commonly used today by pitchers who throw the knuckleball, like Boston's Tim Wakefield, who has a beastly knuckleball, or hall of famer Phil Niekro, who had a VERY good knuckler and knucklecurve. However, most youngsters with smaller hands tend to throw the knuckleball with their knuckles. Sometimes these youngsters will even throw the knuckleball with their knuckles flat against the ball, giving it less spin but also making it difficult to throw any significant distance. Knuckles may refer to: the joints of the hand Knuckles the Echidna, the Sega video game character. ... For other uses, see Thumb (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the anatomical nail. ...

Regardless of how the pitch is gripped, the purpose of the knuckleball is to avoid the rotational spin normally created by the act of throwing a ball. In the absence of this rotation, the ball's trajectory is significantly affected by variations in airflow caused by differences between the smooth surface of the ball and the stitching of its seams. The asymmetric drag that results will tend to deflect the trajectory toward the side with the stitches. Mathematically the term trajectory refers to the ordered set of states which are assumed by a dynamical system over time (see e. ... An object falling through a gas or liquid experiences a force in direction opposite to its motion. ...

Over the distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate, the effect of these forces is that the knuckleball can "flutter" or "dance" or "jiggle", or actually curve in two opposite directions over its flight. A pitch thrown completely without spin is actually less desirable, however, than one with only a very slight spin (so that the ball completes perhaps between one-half and one rotation on its way from the pitcher to the batter). This will cause the position of the stitches to change somewhat as the ball travels, and therefore the drag that gives the ball its motion, thus making its flight even more erratic. Even a ball thrown without rotation will "flutter" somewhat, due to the 'apparent wind' it feels as its trajectory changes throughout its flight path. The pitcher moves forward off the rubber as the pitch is released. ... Home plate is the final base in baseball and related games that a player must touch to score. ...

A hazard of the knuckleball is evident in one sportscaster's description of the ball's behavior: "It either dances in or prances out." As a safety measure (for their Earned Run Average) some pitchers will impart a slight topspin so that if no force causes the ball to dance it will move downward in flight. Another drawback is that runners on base can usually advance more easily than if a conventional pitcher is on the mound. This is due to both the knuckleball's low average speed (55–75 MPH) and erratic movement, which forces the catcher to keep focusing on the ball even after the runner takes off. These factors lead to the scarcity of the so-called knuckleballer. In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ... In sports, in particular racquet sports, topspin is a property of a shot where the ball rotates as if rolling in the same direction as it is moving. ...

Naming and relationship to other pitches

Since it developed during a period when the spitball was legal and commonly used, and was similarly surprising in its motion, the knuckleball was sometimes called the "dry spitter". Cicotte was widely reported to throw both the knuckleball and a variant on the spitball known as a "shine ball" (because he would "shine" one side of a dirty ball by rubbing it on his uniform). However, Cicotte called the shine ball "a pure freak of the imagination", claiming that he did this to disconcert hitters but that the pitch was still a knuckleball. A spitball is a baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of spit, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance. ...

Other names for the knuckleball have generally alluded to its motion and slower speed. These include the flutterball, the floater, the dancer, the butterfly ball, the ghostball, and the bug.

The knuckle curve has a somewhat similar name because of the grip used to throw it (also with the knuckles or fingernails), but it is generally thrown harder and with spin. The resulting motion of the pitch more closely resembles a curveball, which explains the combination name. Toad Ramsey, a pitcher from 1885–1890, is credited in some later sources with being the first knuckleballer, apparently based primarily on accounts of how he gripped the ball; however, based on more contemporary descriptions of his pitch as an "immense drop ball", it may be that his pitch was a form of knuckle curve. Two later pitchers, Jesse Haines and Freddie Fitzsimmons, were sometimes characterized as knuckleball pitchers even by their contemporaries, but in their cases this again refers to a harder-thrown, curving pitch that would probably not be called a knuckleball today. In Major League history, the term knuckle curve has actually referred to two entirely different pitches. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Toad Ramsey (born August 8, 1864 in Indianapolis, Indiana - March 27, 1906), is a former professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1885-1890. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ... Jesse Joseph Haines (July 22, 1893 - August 5, 1978) was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher and knuckleballer. ... Frederick Landis Fitzsimmons (July 28, 1901 - November 18, 1979) was an American right-handed pitcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball who played from 1925-1943, twelve and a half seasons with the New York Giants and six and a half with the Brooklyn Dodgers. ...

Use of the knuckleball in pitching

When originally developed, the knuckleball was used by a number of pitchers as simply one pitch in their repertoire, usually as part of changing speeds from their fastball. It is almost never used in a mixed repertoire today, however, and some believe that to throw the knuckleball effectively with some semblance of control over the pitch, one must throw it more or less exclusively. At the same time, pitchers rarely focus on the knuckleball if they have reasonable skill with more standard pitches, so knuckleball pitchers have become quite rare. For the American band of the same name, see Fastball (band). ...

However, the knuckleball does provide some advantages to its practitioners. It does not need to be thrown hard (in fact, throwing too hard may diminish its effectiveness), and is therefore less taxing on the arm. This means knuckleball pitchers can throw more innings than orthodox pitchers, and are able to pitch more frequently because they require less time to recover after having pitched. The lower physical strain also gives them the potential for greater career longevity, as some have continued to pitch professionally well into their forties, such as Tim Wakefield. In addition, some pitchers (such as Jim Bouton) have had success as knuckleballers after their ability to throw hard declined. An innings, or inning, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports â€“ most notably baseball and cricket â€“ during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. ... Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966 in Melbourne, Florida) is a right-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played with the Boston Red Sox since 1995. ... Jim Bouton James Alan Bouton (born March 8, 1939 in Newark, New Jersey, USA) is a former Major League Baseball player, and author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his 1969 season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees. ...

Hoyt Wilhelm, Phil Niekro and Jesse Haines, three pitchers who primarily relied on the knuckleball, have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Niekro was given the nickname "Knucksie" during his career. Other prominent knuckleball pitchers have included Joe Niekro (Phil's brother), Charlie Hough, Ben Flowers, Wilbur Wood, Tom Candiotti, Bob Purkey, Steve Sparks and Tim Wakefield. During the 1945 season, with talent depleted by call-ups to fight in World War II, the Washington Senators had a pitching rotation which included four knuckleball pitchers (Dutch Leonard, Johnny Niggeling, Mickey "Itsy Bitsy" Haefner and Roger Wolff) who combined for 60 complete games and 60 wins, carrying the Senators to second place. James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 in Huntersville, North Carolina - August 23, 2002 in Sarasota, Florida) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. ... 1970 Topps super card #15 Philip Henry Niekro (born April 1, 1939 in Blaine, Ohio) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. ... Jesse Joseph Haines (July 22, 1893 - August 5, 1978) was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher and knuckleballer. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... Joseph Franklin Niekro (November 7, 1944 â€“ October 27, 2006) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, the younger brother of Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro, and the father of first baseman Lance Niekro. ... Charlie Hough. ... Bennett Flowers (born June 15, 1927 in Wilson, North Carolina) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams between 1951 and 1956. ... Wilbur Wood (born October 22, 1941 in Cambridge, Massachusetts) is a former Major League Baseball knuckleball pitcher, for the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and most notably, the Chicago White Sox where he got 163 of his 164 wins. ... Thomas Caesar Candiotti (born August 31, 1957 in Walnut Creek, California) is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was known for his knuckleball. ... Robert Thomas Purkey (born July 14, 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a baseball player who played for 13 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cincinnati Reds and the St. ... Steven William Steve Sparks (born July 2, 1965) is a knuckleball-throwing right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher. ... Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966 in Melbourne, Florida) is a right-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played with the Boston Red Sox since 1995. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Major league affiliations American League (1901â€“present) Central Division (1994â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 6, 14, 29, 34, 42 Name Minnesota Twins (1961â€“present) Washington Nationals/Senators (1901-1960) Other nicknames The Twinkies Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 1982-present Metropolitan Stadium (1961-1981) Griffith Stadium (1911-1960... Emil Dutch Leonard (March 25, 1909-April 17, 1983) was a right-handed knuckleballer who pitched twenty seasons from 1933-1936; 1938-1953 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Washington Senators, Philadelphia Phillies, and the Chicago Cubs. ... Johnny Niggeling (July 10, 1903-September 16, 1963) was an American baseball player. ... Mickey Itsy Bitsy Haefner (October 9, 1912-January 3, 1995)- Knuckleball throwing southpaw pitched eight seasons from 1943-1950, pitched six and a half seasons with the Washington Senators, season and a half with the Chicago White Sox and half a season with the Boston Braves. ... Roger Wolff (April 10, 1911-March 23, 1994)- Right-handed knuckleball pitched seven seasons from 1941-1947, three seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics, three seasons with the Washington Senators, and split the 1947 season between the Cleveland Indians and the Pittsburgh Pirates. ... For other uses, see Game (disambiguation). ...

As of 2007, Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox and youngster Charlie Haeger of the Chicago White Sox are the only knucklers in the big leagues. 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966 in Melbourne, Florida) is a right-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played with the Boston Red Sox since 1995. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901â€“present) East Division (1969â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908â€“present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Olde Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912â€“present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... Charlie Haeger is a pitcher for the minor league system of the Chicago White Sox. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901â€“present) Central Division (1994â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 16, 19, 42, 72 Name Chicago White Sox (1904â€“present) Other nicknames The Sox, The South Siders, The ChiSox, The Pale Hose, The Good Guys, The Go-Go Sox, The...

Catching the knuckleball

The unpredictable motion of the knuckleball makes it one of the most difficult pitches for a catcher to handle. Catchers tend to be charged with a significantly higher number of passed balls when a knuckleball pitcher is on the mound. A team will sometimes employ a catcher solely for games started by a knuckleballer. The "knuckleball catcher" is equipped with an oversized knuckleball catcher's mitt, similar to a first baseman's glove. The Boston Red Sox did this fairly systematically in their 2004 world championship season, with Doug Mirabelli regularly catching in place of Jason Varitek when Tim Wakefield was pitching. Jason Varitek would sometimes catch for Wakefield anyway so they would have more batting power. Sometimes, it proved to be disastrous when Varitek was catching. In 2005, Mirabelli was injured, so Varitek had no choice but to catch for Wakefield. Wakefield's ERA was over 9.00 when Varitek caught for him. Geno Petralli set the record for allowing four passed balls in one inning while trying to catch knuckleball pitcher Charlie Hough in 1987. Varitek holds the postseason record with three in Game 5 of the 2004 American League Championship Series while catching Wakefield. In baseball, a catcher shall be charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ball which should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. ... A typical infielders or outfielders glove. ... A typical infielders or outfielders glove. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901â€“present) East Division (1969â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908â€“present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Olde Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912â€“present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world. ... Douglas Anthony Mirabelli (born October 18, 1970 in Kingman, Arizona) is a Major League Baseball catcher who currently plays for the Boston Red Sox. ... Jason Andrew Varitek (born April 11, 1972 in Rochester, Michigan) is an American baseball player. ... Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966 in Melbourne, Florida) is a right-handed knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played with the Boston Red Sox since 1995. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ... Eugene James Petralli (born September 25, 1959 in Sacramento, California) was a 61 180 lbs. ... Charlie Hough. ... // On January 28, International Olympic Committee Vice-President Kim Un-yong is arrested on charges of corruption in Seoul. ... The League Championship Series is the official name for a round of playoffs in Major League Baseball. ...

In 2006, after Mirabelli was traded to the San Diego Padres for Mark Loretta, the Red Sox brought in Josh Bard to be Varitek's back-up and to catch Wakefield. However, Bard was unable to adjust to the knuckleball, giving up 10 passed balls in just five games. On May 1, 2006, the Red Sox traded Bard and a minor league pitcher (Cla Meredith) to San Diego to reacquire Mirabelli. In 2007, Mirabelli again was injured on August 17, playing the Los Angeles Angels. Kevin Cash was brought up from the minor leagues to catch Wakefield, and has had good success in two games so far this season (letting Wakefield pitch 14 shut-out innings over two games). Major league affiliations National League (1969â€“present) West Division (1969â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 6, 19, 31, 35, 42 Name San Diego Padres (1969â€“present) Other nicknames The Pads, The Friars, The Fathers, The Dads Ballpark PETCO Park (2004â€“present) Qualcomm Stadium (1969-2003) a. ... Mark David Loretta (born August 14, 1971 in Santa Monica, California) is a second baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Houston Astros. ... Joshua David Bard (born March 30, 1978, in Ithaca, New York) is a catcher for the San Diego Padres. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Olise Cla Meredith, (born June 4, 1983), is an American baseball player who is currently a relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres. ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Former Atlanta Braves star Dale Murphy was a catcher all through his minor league career and entered the majors that way, but was moved to center field beginning with the 1980 season because catching teammate Phil Niekro's knuckleballs was too hard on his knees. He had several knee surgeries before then. Major league affiliations National League (1876â€“present) East Division (1994â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966â€“present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... Dale Bryan Murphy (b. ... The position of the center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position between left field and right field (e. ... 1970 Topps super card #15 Philip Henry Niekro (born April 1, 1939 in Blaine, Ohio) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. ...

Another pitcher who caused great trouble in catching his knuckleball was Jared Fernandez. In a game on August 14, 2002,[1] catcher Jason LaRue fell victim to three passed balls in a single inning, with another ball that got away being recorded as a wild pitch. Jared Fernandez is a 61, 223 pound former Major League Baseball knuckleball pitcher who is currently pitching in Japan. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Michael Jason LaRue is a catcher for the Kansas City Royals. ... In baseball, a wild pitch (WP) is charged to a pitcher when a pitch is too high, too low, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to field capably, thereby allowing one or more runners to advance or to score. ...

Quotes on the knuckleball

Major league affiliations National League (1890â€“present) West Division (1969â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958â€“present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1913) Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899... Joseph Paul Torre (born July 18, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York) is a former Major League Baseball player and the current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. ... 1970 Topps super card #15 Philip Henry Niekro (born April 1, 1939 in Blaine, Ohio) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. ... JELL-O is a brand name belonging to USA-based Kraft Foods for a number of gelatin desserts, including fruit gels, puddings and no-bake cream pies. ... For other uses, see Chopsticks (disambiguation). ... Bobby Ray Murcer (born May 20, 1946, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) was a professional baseball player for 17 seasons. ... Robert George Uecker ((IPA pronunciation: [], a homophone of the card game Euchre) (born January 26, 1935 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American former Major League Baseball player, later an award-winning sportscaster, comedian and actor. ... Eugene James Petralli (born September 25, 1959 in Sacramento, California) was a 61 180 lbs. ... Charles (Charlie) Richard Lau- Born April 12 1933; Died March 18 1984- Former Major League Baseball catcher was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent. ... Jason Andrew Varitek (born April 11, 1972 in Rochester, Michigan) is an American baseball player. ... Wilver Dornell Willie Stargell (March 6, 1940 â€“ April 9, 2001), nicknamed Pops in the later years of his career, was a professional baseball player who played his entire Major League career (1962-1982) with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an outfielder and first baseman. ... Ron Luciano (June 28, 1937 - January 18, 1995) was a major league umpire, known for his flamboyant style, simple love for the game, and clever quotes. ... 1970 Topps super card #15 Philip Henry Niekro (born April 1, 1939 in Blaine, Ohio) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. ... Richard Joseph Hebner (born November 26, 1947 in Boston, Massachusetts) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who had an 18-year career from 1968 to 1985. ...

References

External links

Category: Baseball pitches The typical motion of a pitcher In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. ... For the American band of the same name, see Fastball (band). ... A four-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In baseball, a sinker is a type of fastball pitch similar to the two-seam fastball which has significant downward movement. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... In baseball, a breaking ball is a pitch that does not travel straight like a fastball as it approaches the batter. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In Major League history, the term knuckle curve has actually referred to two entirely different pitches. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A common grip of a slider a pitcher uses In baseball, a slider is a pitch halfway between a curveball and a fastball. ... For the hip-hop group from Queensbridge, see Screwball (group). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In baseball, the palmball pitch is a type of changeup. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The forkball is a type of pitch in baseball. ... An Eephus pitch, (also spelled Ephus) in baseball, is considered a junk pitch with very low speed. ... A spitball is a baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of spit, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance. ... For the gyroscopic toy Powerball, see Powerball. ... The shuuto (Japanese ã‚·ãƒ¥ãƒ¼ãƒˆ) or shootball is a pitch commonly thrown by Japanese pitchers such as Daisuke Matsuzaka that breaks slightly down and in on right-handed batters when thrown by a right-handed pitcher, somewhat similar to a screwball, although with less break. ...

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