Science Debunked Right Here

And it's a fact folks at least when it comes to curve balls. These guys are living in another world.

The ball actually follows a smooth arc from pitcher to catcher, but seems to break when it moves from one part of the batter's vision to another, according to researchers Arthur Shapiro of American University and Zhong-Lin Lu of the University of Southern California.

Baseball was my game and I loved pitching and wanted to keep playing after high school but could not as something called work came first. I did play a few games and even had a suit to wear in the "Nisnabotna League" in SW Iowa.

Since I could not throw that fast more times than not relied on "junk" pitches. Holding and manipulating the way the ball is thrown to get it to do different things. I could not throw a knuckle ball as my hands were too small.

The arm may be long gone but one thing for certain you do not want me throwing something at you with malice in mind cuz you're gonna get hurt. My bud tells me this nonsense about curve balls being an "illusion" has been around for awhile. I didn't know that as watching sports is hard to do without TV.

So to Arty and Schlong and anyone else who thinks there's an illusion happening here. Try to catch or hit a knuckle ball. Yea I know it's not a curve ball. Why do you think the mitt catchers use for knuckle ball pitchers is sooo big. It's the only way these balls can be corralled because they're moving all over the place. It is no illusion! Never liked having these thrown to me when playing catch as it's too easy to get your teeth knocked out. I'm not sure if there is a knuckle ball pitcher in the majors. These guys are too dangerous because they don't have a clue where it's going themselves.

Yes you can throw a curve ball that follows an arc. Throw it right at their face and see if they can stand in there as it breaks into the strike zone. If you watch or have done it yourself the break does not happen till close to the plate and in many cases it does "drop off the table". That is no illusion either.

Where the ball breaks and how it breaks is determined by several things. One is how hard it's thrown. Another is how it's held and real important is how the ball is released as the amount of snap or twist can be varied. Also the seams of the ball are import as well. Personally if the ump puts a ball in play with seams barely felt I would send it back for one where the seams stuck up so my fingers can really catch on it.

My science comes from observation and and many trials and experiments some of which work better than others. Anybody who throws a baseball around manipulates how he holds and throws it hoping to find the magical ball that no one can get his bat on. Doesn't happen but it's fun trying.

What is happening with the ball is the same as English on a pool ball. It doesn't happen right away after being struck but when the spinning ball gains enough traction on the table felt to change direction in an unusual manner.


With a baseball it's the same except it is air that the seams have to grab and when it does direction change is quick just like a struck pool ball that is given English to make it do something other than go straight. You can make a ball break halfway to the plate if you release it with that intent. But home plate is 60' away so you don't want that to happen till it's almost there. A good curve ball fools the batter into thinking it's a straight ball. Sometimes it can be funny how bad they miss it. When you get the ball back you just turn around and smile to your teammates.

Why does the knuckle ball go any which way? Because there is no rotation of the ball the same as in rifling in the barrel of a gun. Before rifling was developed all bullets shot were knuckler's.

These are the facts and you are not reading a delusion.