What is the hardest knuckleball?

Dickey's 102-mph knuckleball
While pitching against the Phillies at Bright House Field, the stadium radar gun caught Dickey at 102 mph. Sure, you could say that this was a result of a faulty radar gun, and that's possible.
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Who has the best knuckleball ever?

  • 1) Phil Niekro (1964-87) 318-274; 3.35 ERA; 3,342 K; 5,404 IP.
  • 2) Hoyt Wilhelm (1952-72) 143-122; 228 SV; 2.52 ERA; 1,610 K; 2,254 1/3 IP.
  • 3) Tim Wakefield (1992-2011) ...
  • 4) Charlie Hough (1970-94) ...
  • 5) R.A. Dickey (2001-17) ...
  • 6) Eddie Cicotte (1905-20) ...
  • 7) Wilbur Wood (1961-78) ...
  • 8) Dutch Leonard (1933-53)
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What's the hardest pitch to throw?

Each baseball player has their own specialties. However, the two pitches that stand out to be the hardest to hit are the splitter and the slider. This conclusion is backed by research that has been done to detect the whiff rate for various pitches.
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What makes a knuckleball hard to hit?

The trick to the knuckleball that makes it so hard to hit is that the ball doesn't spin much as it flies through the air. While most pitchers control their throws by putting in a touch of spin, knuckleball pitchers spin the ball as little as possible.
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What was the fastest knuckleball?

Dickey's 102-mph knuckleball

Sure, you could say that this was a result of a faulty radar gun, and that's possible. Is it not also possible that Dickey, doing some dark incantation as he surely must before every pitch, accidentally tore open a hole in the space time continuum, allowing for 102 mph pitches?
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Top 10 Knuckleball Goals



How fast is an MLB knuckleball?

Since it typically only travels 60 to 70 miles per hour (97 to 113 km/h), far slower than the average major league fastball 85 to 95 miles per hour (137 to 153 km/h), it can be hit very hard if there is no movement.
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What is the rarest pitch?

Definition. A screwball is a breaking ball designed to move in the opposite direction of just about every other breaking pitch. It is one of the rarest pitches thrown in baseball, mostly because of the tax it can put on a pitcher's arm.
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What is the most nasty pitch?

1) Jhoan Duran -- 99.7 mph splitter, Aug.

Duran is the only pitcher in pitch-tracking history to throw a 100 mph "offspeed" pitch. His "splinker" -- a unique splitter/sinker hybrid that gets classified by Statcast as a splitter -- reached as high as 100.8 mph in this same game, but that one was a ball.
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What pitch is illegal in baseball?

There are four main categories of illegal pitching activity: altering the baseball, pitching when the batter is not ready, throwing at a batter, or making pitching motions when not actually stepping on the pitching plate (also known as pitching rubber).
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Who threw the first knuckleball?

Toad Ramsey invented the knuckleball.
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Is a knuckleball rare?

A knuckleball is a very rare pitch, and the pitchers who throw it during games tend to use it almost exclusively. The goal of a knuckleball is to eliminate almost all of the spin on the baseball, causing it to flutter unpredictably on its way to the plate.
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Who invented knuckleball shot?

While it is not exactly known who first developed the technique, it is often attributed to Edward Cicotte [7] as early as 1908. To achieve this effect, he held the ball between his knuckles, which garnered the nickname 'Knuckles' for himself, naming the technique 'knuckleball' as a result.
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Who in the MLB has a knuckleball?

Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis Making His MLB Debut at Age 33 Is So Cool. In Thursday's Hot Clicks: an Orioles rookie who never gave up on his dream, Trae Young's electrifying performance and more.
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How many RPM is a knuckleball?

The ideal knuckleball makes just 1 to 1.5 rotations (~150 RPM) between release and home plate, causing the drag on the ball to shift significantly mid-flight as the leading seam of the ball rotates slightly, resulting in unpredictable and uniquely sudden movement.
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What are some illegal pitches?

An illegal pitch may be quick pitch (i.e. a pitch made before the batter is properly set in the batter's box), a pitch made while the pitcher is not in contact with the pitching rubber, or one in which he takes an extra step while making his delivery.
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What is the weirdest pitch?

Top 9 Nastiest Pitches in Baseball History
  • Nolan Ryan's Fastball.
  • Clayton Kershaw's 12-6 Curveball.
  • R.A. Dickey's Knuckleball.
  • Mariano Rivera's Cutter.
  • Randy Johnson's Slider.
  • Sandy Koufax's Curveball.
  • Trevor Hoffman's Changeup.
  • Greg Maddux's Two-Seamer.
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What is the slowest pitch ever?

It is considered a trick pitch because, in comparison to normal baseball pitches, which run from 70 to 100 miles per hour (110 to 160 km/h), an eephus pitch appears to move in slow motion at 55 mph (89 km/h) or less, sometimes as low as 35 mph (56 km/h).
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How rare is a 100 mph pitch?

In the pitch-tracking era (since 2008), there have been 223 MLB pitchers to hit 100 on the radar gun, according to Baseball Savant's Statcast.
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What makes a pitch illegal?

The five most common called illegal pitches in softball are crow hopping, re-planting, stepping outside the pitching lane, a pitcher's back toe losing contact with the rubber, and for the younger pitcher's failure to present hands apart when stepping onto the rubber.
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What pitch is the easiest to throw?

Four-Seam Fastball

This is usually the easiest pitch to throw for a strike. If released properly, four laces of the ball rotate through the air, helping to keep the throw in line with the target. Pitchers should hold the baseball with their pointer and middle finger on the top laces or seams of the baseball.
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Is knuckleball hard to learn?

The knuckleball can be a fun and exciting pitch to learn. While it sparks the interest of many players and fans, there is a reason why so few major-leaguers have been able to master it. This pitch is extremely difficult to learn and develop.
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Can you control a knuckleball?

It's called a knuckle ball because it is gripped more in the knuckles than within the fingers like a fastball or curveball. But it's not actually held by the knuckles - no one could control the release of the ball if held that insecurely.
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