Nice to see Charlie out and about. Remember him, Niekro, and Nolan Ryan from that era. Nothing like a knuckleball.
@KnuckleballNation6 ай бұрын
Nolan's fireball and Charlie's flutterball was quite a #1 and #2 punch for the Texas Rangers in the 80's. Too bad the rest of the team stunk. But the knuckleball hangover is real. Reliever and next-day starters benefit one run on their ERA coming into the game after a knuckleballer.
@billymac76 ай бұрын
Thank you so much for sharing these instructional videos. There’s nothing close to the depth of explanation and knowledge of the knuckleball on KZbin. Thank you for keeping this dwindling art form of baseball alive!
@KnuckleballNation6 ай бұрын
I'm about to do a whole series on the intricacies. Phil Niekro and Charlie Hough taught me the pitch alongside RA Dickey. I've also worked with Tom Candiotti and Steven Wright. And I played professionally with the pitch, as well, so I'm a very good resource for the most mysterious pitch in the game.
@allee68Ай бұрын
Charlie mentioned speed change. Maddox the master.
@Copeiummaximus6 ай бұрын
Interesting to hear him talk personally about his experiences with the pitch. Specifically using a regular “long arm” motion and keeping his wrist free instead of stiffer like Wake or Niekro. Also if anyone’s interested a biography of Hoyt Wilhelm just came out available on Amazon focusing on his career, I just started reading it, good stuff so far.
@KnuckleballNation6 ай бұрын
The Dodgers signed Hoyt and sent him to Triple A at the end of this career to mentor a young Hough. With his help, Charlie started pitching really well but the LA called up a 49-year-old Wilhelm for the pennant race. Charlie was pissed, but he learned his loose wrist approach from the great one. He said Hoyt was the most precise pitcher in history; throwing a knuckleball that didn't spin every time. And he somehow always found a way to throw into the wind when playing catch.
@KnuckleballNation6 ай бұрын
Charlie taught me the loose wrist approach which got me to throw the pitch professionally, but Wake and Phil used a locked wrist. There's no one right way to approach the pitch. But the locked wrist feels awful to me.
@KnuckleballNation6 ай бұрын
And thanks for the heads up about the book. I'll check it out.
@marshallsayre58Ай бұрын
Even Tommy John wasn't a fast pitcher but he got strikes too
@KnuckleballNationАй бұрын
I love the old slow junk-ballers. Way more fun to watch then these flame throwers these days.
@blumpkinspicelatte4580Ай бұрын
These kids have no idea how lucky they are to hear Charlie tell this stories and import his wisdom. The kid that needs a hair cut looks like he could care less.
@KnuckleballNationАй бұрын
I'm glad his stories touched you, but perhaps you should be more like Mr Hough.
@areguapiri6 ай бұрын
The ole Hougheroo.
@KnuckleballNation6 ай бұрын
He's probably got a good six-inning start in him right now.