What is a Knuckleball?
The knuckleball is one of the rarest pitches in baseball, particularly if you only consider pitches that are part of pitcher’s expected pitch mix (e.g., not counting Zack Greinke’s eephus pitch that he throws a few times each season).
The pitcher’s goal when throwing a knuckleball is to eliminate as much as spin as possible from the ball. Without spin, the ball will flutter, or dance as announcers like to say, on its way to the plate. Though slow, this fluttering motion makes it difficult for batters to square up (put the barrel) on the ball.
Basics of Knuckleball Aerodynamics
I’m going to admit something: I don’t fully understand everything in this physics article that analyzed the aerodynanmics of the knuckleball. In the conclusion, the authors do state that the knuckleball is “accompanied by complex flow physics”. An article published by IOPScience stats the “zigzag path is obtained provided a lateral unsteady symmetry of flow surrounding the ball exists”.
Something interesting from the latter article: “the obtention of a large knuckle effect requires a ball to be launched in a particular range of initial velocities corresponding to the drag crisis of the ball”. It appears that at least 50 m.p.h. is required to create the knuckle effect. The maximum velocity is limited because pitchers want enough time for physics to take over.
Visual aid:
Why don’t more pitchers throw a knuckleball?
An NPR article attempted to answer this question, and concluded that:
- Some see it as a trick pitch, which may lead to it not being taught at younger ages
- Requires precision (both in throwing the ball and in maintaining manicured fingernails
- Due to the precision, it is much more difficult to throw than it appears
How hard is it to catch a knuckleball?
Quite difficult. There is a reason knuckleball pitchers often have a dedicated catcher. And even then, it’s expected that quite a number of passed balls will occur. Josh Thole, Ryan Hanigan, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia are just a few catchers who have had the honor of trying to catch knuckleball pitchers.
List of Knuckleball Pitchers
Any list of knuckle pitchers requires setting parameters. Some position players use a knuckleball when they are pitching, but most people (myself included) wouldn’t necessarily call them a knuckleball pitcher.
For my list, I am only including pitchers who pitched at least 100 games. These leaves out a few recent knucklers: Steven Wright (81 games from 2013-2019 but still active in minors), Eddie Gamboa (minimal MLB in 2016) and Ryan Freierabrand (minimal MLB in 2019).
| Player Name | MLB Start Year | MLB End Year | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoyt Wilhelm | 1952 | 1972 | 1070 |
| Phil Niekro | 1964 | 1987 | 864 |
| Charlie Hough | 1970 | 1994 | 858 |
| Joe Niekro | 1967 | 1988 | 702 |
| Eddie Fisher | 1959 | 1973 | 690 |
| Wilbur Wood | 1961 | 1978 | 651 |
| Dutch Leonard | 1933 | 1953 | 640 |
| Ted Lyons | 1923 | 1946 | 594 |
| Jesse Haines | 1918 | 1937 | 555 |
| Tim Wakefield | 1992 | 2011 | 547 |
| Eddie Cicotte | 1905 | 1920 | 502 |
| Tom Candiotti | 1983 | 1999 | 451 |
| Bob Purkey | 1954 | 1966 | 386 |
| R.A. Dickey • | 2001 | 2017 | 338 |
| Jim Bouton | 1962 | 1978 | 304 |
| Steve Sparks | 1995 | 2004 | 270 |
| Mickey Haefner | 1943 | 1950 | 261 |
| Gene Bearden | 1947 | 1953 | 193 |
| Johnny Niggeling | 1938 | 1945 | 184 |
| Roger Wolff | 1941 | 1947 | 182 |
| Lew Moren | 1903 | 1910 | 141 |
| Dennis Springer | 1995 | 2002 | 130 |
Recent knuckleball pitchers
2019: Ryan Feierabend
2019: Steven Wright
2021: Mickey Jannis
Best performing knuckleball pitchers
Four knuckleball pitchers have made the Hall of Fame: Jesse Haines, Ted Lyons, Phil Niekro, and Hoyt Wilhelm.
R.A. Dickey is the only knuckleball pitcher to win a Cy Young Award (2012 National League).
Seven knuckleball pitchers won at least 200 games in their career:
| Player Name | Win Loss Record |
|---|---|
| Phil Niekro | 318-274 |
| Ted Lyons | 260-230 |
| Joe Niekro | 221-204 |
| Charlie Hough | 216-216 |
| Jesse Haines | 210-158 |
| Eddie Cicotte | 208-149 |
| Tim Wakefield | 200-178 |
Other Knuckleball Related Questions
Who invented the knuckleball pitch?
There is no definitive answer to that question, but Eddie Cicotte seems to receive the most credit.
Has a knuckleball pitcher ever thrown a no-hitter?
Several have come close, but so far, Hoyt Wilmelm (in 1958 against the New York Yankees) is the only knuckleball pitcher to throw a no-hitter.
Do catchers use different gear when catching knuckleball pitchers?
Catchers can! Glove manufacturers have produced over-sized mitts specifically to help catchers receive knuckleball pitches. For example, JustBallGloves advertises their knuckleball mitt as having an extra wide pocket and wide hinge channel to accommodate catching knuckleballs.
Other fun information about knuckleballs
Knuckler Charlie Hough started, and won, the first game ever player by the Miami Marlins (then called Florida Marlins).
Fun quotes about knuckleballs
Bob Uecker (Phil Niekro’s catcher in Atlanta): “The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up”
Jason Varitek (Tim Wakefield’s catcher in Boston): “You know, catching the knuckleball, it’s like trying to catch a fly with a chopstick”
Willie Stargell: “Throwing a knuckleball for a strike is like throwing a butterfly with hiccups across the street into your neighbor’s mailbox”
