R.A. Dickey and the Physics of the Knuckleball

[@MLB]

We're fans of some well-executed knuckleballs

[@chr1s_CS]

MLB oh hey baseball

[@dylanleuser3739]

You know it’s a good video if the MLB comments on it

[@Rich-rd5te]

One thing Astros can’t hit

[@SocialistChicken]

Yes, but I was under the impression that Dickey threw a no hitter on June 13th, 2012. Is that true?

[@joeg5414]

@@tsfallout8178 😂 🤣😂 🤣😂 🤣😂 🤣😂 🤣😂 🤣😂 🤣😂 🤣

[@robertvantine2810]

Bob Uecker: "The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up."

[@stevethea5250]

7:04 it shows vortex shedding but he says shredding

[@mikelbowers1366]

Funny I put dudes on their heals with the knuckle

[@doublethomas8415]

"Just a bit outside! He tried the corner and missed."

[@dtimbs84]

Lol

[@bradenculver7457]

@@mikelbowers1366 heels, u aren't pitching against medics afaik

[@sizedflame8283]

Wait, I thought I had Physics 2nd period

[@stevethea5250]

What's cyana award

[@madethecut]

Great video SRS! I've been a proud subscriber for the last year, and I've loved all the content! Keep it up!

[@StarkRavingSports]

Means a lot coming from you! Thanks a ton! ❤️

[@kevingohdcantgo10_0]

@@StarkRavingSports k

[@JoshuaHenkelman]

This is the man that kept Josh Thole (Catcher) employed

[@counterfit5]

TheLeftSide like how Tim Wakefield kept Doug Mirabelli employed

[@watchmecatchpike7145]

Bartolo Colon is absolutely one of the wonders of baseball

[@rexyoshimoto4278]

He put big, fat guys on the map! Yeah. He even made behind the back tosses to get a runner.

[@crackazack510]

@@rexyoshimoto4278 and dude could hit!

[@sampilcher7196]

Dickey’s autobiography Wherever I wind up is absolutely amazing. Such a great guy

[@diggsfather]

“just look for the seams and hit between them.” -harmon killebrew on how to hit a knuckleball

[@SportStorm23]

The knuckleball will always be a baseball gem, especially in OOTP. Great vid guys!

[@MrVisde]

The documentary Dickey was featured in (I think it’s actually called “Knuckleball”) is worth a watch. The knuckleball is a pitch for survival. It’s the pitch people work on when they’re on the verge of getting cut.

[@cameron8817]

To add a little more context, lift force is created by 2 factors, airspeed and pressure difference. In the case of a plane, the wing is shaped in a specific way with a curved top of the wing and semi-flat bottom of the wing where the back of the wing points down. The air adheres to the curve at the top of the wing and speeds up. Two things happen because of this: 1. Since the airspeed on the bottom of the wing is slower than the airspeed on the top, the air pressure below the wing is higher than the air pressure above it(basically the air on the bottom of the wing is pushing the wing up more than the air on the top of the wing is pushing the wing down). This means that lift force is created in the upward direction. 2. Since the back of the wing is pointed downward, the fast air coming off of the wing is pointed in a downward direction, also adding to the lift force(newton's third law, all actions have an equal and opposite reaction. The air is pointed down, so it exerts an opposite force on the plane). Now to put that into perspective on a baseball, when a baseball spins, it creates a pressure difference between the sides of the ball by accelerating air in the direction of the spin(creating lower pressure) and by decelerating air on the opposite side of the ball(creating higher pressure. I definitely suggest looking up an image for this because it makes it much clearer.), leading the ball to travel in the direction that has lower pressure. The reason a knuckle ball is confusing is because despite not spinning, it moves erratically. (Also im not an expert in aerodynamics either, I just have tried to study it in my free time, so if anyone more experienced in that field would like to correct me or add to what i said, I would really appreciate it!)

[@dangelo1369]

When one reads "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton, you'll see how much opposition coaches have to pitchers developing the knuckleball. It's a pitch you have to be totally dedicated to. And now with the heavy reliance on sabermetrics, it would be challenging for a knuckleball pitcher to get the innings necessary and the trust of a manager to be a starting pitcher and downright impossible to be a reliever.

[@simontodreas1929]

Or the increased reliance on analytics and the improved technology could make it easier for pitchers to develop a knuckleball. When no one knew how it worked, coaches didn't wanna spend the time trying to figure it out but now that we know the physics behind it, it will be easier to teach.

[@moonswan7587]

Do you recommend reading "Ball Four"? Jw surprisingly never heard of it

[@bebopalloobop]

MooN SwaN I’ll recommend it.

[@VianoMusicAcademy]

⁠@@moonswan7587the book’s a classic. It was my first real book, at the age of 10, about 30 years ago. Completely irreverent and inappropriate, but got me both massively into baseball and reading. Would totally recommend!

[@dzisman99]

This was my primary pitch in high school too. I’ve watched every video on the pitch that exists on KZbin and I love learning more about it. Great video!

[@GreekPele]

These are the most important physics I ever Learned.

[@shuffleB]

I remember playing catch with my dad, after dinner. It was an everyday thing growing up. And the first time he throw me a knuckler. I remember looking at him like he just throw magic at me.

[@Mystninja]

MTG?

[@shuffleB]

@@MystninjaNah, like the "pull a rabbit out of a hat kind of magic.

[@Mystninja]

Last time I seen a rabbit in a hat. I was like. Hey where did you get that hat. Then it hoped away.

[@shuffleB]

@@Mystninja = OMG, Last time I saw a rabbit, it was playing MTG. What are the odds¿?

[@martinoamello3017]

It is magic..in my case it was a shoulder injury that made me push the ball instead of flinging it.. I LOVED watching people just jump out of the path of it because they always just knew it was going to bean them.. lol

[@cajunboi4888]

We need more knuckleballers in baseball.

[@matthewlewis9996]

I'm really suprised he didn't mention Phil Niekro aka "knucksie", or Tim Wakefield from Boston

[@dangelo1369]

@@matthewlewis9996 Or Jim Bouton, or Hoyt Wilhelm or Eddie Cicotte (his 1919 notoriety, notwithstanding)

[@thedistantprinceinyouremai6345]

In real baseball, absolutely. Not the show though

[@chrisjayroe6560]

I have a 13 yr son that throws a knuckle, he even throws it while throwing longtoss. It's fun to see batters reactions.

[@dcfromthev]

We need more baseballers in knuckle.

[@ChrizzzyEGolf]

I've gotten pretty good at throwing the knuckleball recently, been working on it for little over a year. Thank you for covering this lesser-known topic!

[@Red0991]

5:20: “So I’m walking a path with guardrails on either side of me” Idk but to me it looks more like you’ve got a dude violently vibrating trying to avoid the fences. Like the worst game of operation I’ve ever seen.

[@mikeyg6631]

The knuckle ball is hypnotic looking at it while your batting. For example.... its coming at you and in your head you say that's a knuckle ball lol and then you strike out!!

[@SadmanBaseball]

I'm really proud of you

[@StarkRavingSports]

We love you Sadman

[@victorfalkemback]

I'm Brazilian and I absolutely lost it at the pombo sem asa reference

[@iwnl_vale]

Hue hue hue

[@retrorami]

É curioso pq o efeito que ele se refere é o da "folha seca", que o Juninho pernambucano, Júnior, Beckham e o Petkovic são famosos por executar. O pombo sem asa é geralmente usado pra ilustrar um chute reto e muito forte, como os do Roberto Carlos (mas esse fazia umas absurdas que era mais como um slider, como a falta contra a França) e do Adriano.

[@thebeatlesnt]

@@retrorami exato kkk o folha seca é o que ele se refere, pombo sem asa a bola vai forte pra kct sem curva, reto e subindo. Se quisermos relacionarmos ao baseball seria a mítica rising fastball que faz a ilusão de que está subindo, porém não está.

[@AJKPenguin]

Brazil needs to step up their baseball game. I want to root for stars from Curritaba and Brasilia.

[@rexyoshimoto4278]

Great Video. Some years ago, I use to follow Russ Springer of the CA Angels throw the knuckleball. He said he was failing his mechanics and ask Phil Niekro and Charlie Hough what he was doing wrong. They told him to throw slower. 65 and slower. As he did, his knuckler became better.

[@Dudeman9339]

and he did all this while missing the most important tendon in his arm.

[@nursenatedawg]

Dudeman9339 actually makes it easier to throw a knuckleball. He’s not able to spin it or really throw with force

[@themushybrain686]

Nate Watkins Is that why he was able to throw up to 80mph?

[@ladybuzzkillington2072]

Never pitched but i did play Volleyball and was a jump float specialist at the serve line. That's our knuckleball. (Im early in the vid sorry if he mentions that later) My whole schtick was making the ball drop/stop. I didn't really know what i was doing at first but as i got better and got more control it got really deadly. I assume (based on the sports mentioned) it has to do with speed and distance. In tennis, basketball, etc. Its either very hard to move the ball without spin (like in tennis), or the ball rarely moves far enough for the effect to kick in. The float serve is still fast albeit no where near as fast as top spin jumpers. Knuckleballs still can hit 70+ mph. Idk cricket or soccer info but i can presume its the same.

[@BloodoperaBlackvomit]

No lie, the Knuckle ball is my favorite thing in baseball. I LOVE it. Greetings from The Netherlands.

[@HufflepuffBaseball42313]

Ghostdialoog hey didi

[@qdav5]

Understanding knuckleball mechanics is one of the problems that inspired me to major in Mech & Aero Engineering in college. I finally figured it out in my senior year when I took my 2nd semester fluid dynamics class. It has everything to do with Reynolds Number and vortex shedding, so it's too bad the video didn't discuss that.

[@jonathanmendez1738]

Just took fluid mechanics last year

[@DrLeRoyAlaways]

The comment, we have never seen 90 mph knuckleballs. I've seen 95 mph repeatable knuckleballs back in 1999. In fact, I've seen 105 mph knuckleballs. The pitching machine we were working on threw them. I remember everybody who worked on the project were in awe of the curve on the ball but I kept saying, the ball isn't spinning. I proved that, that the ball wasn't spinning, and was in total awe that the pitch was 100% repeated. I could hammer nails with knuckleballs, if I put the ball in the machine exactly the same way.

[@Elijahgavi]

How did it move ??

[@DrLeRoyAlaways]

@@Elijahgavi Long answer - The machine was probably, and still is, the most advanced pitching machine ever build. In my Ph.D. dissertation I become the first person to measure and determine the entire set of initial conditions put on a baseball. Not only did I measure the velocity vector precisely I measured the spin axis and spin rate exactly. I also am the first person to determine the three dimensional trajectory of pitched baseball in a live game. So this company builds this machine but they don't know what it is doing aerodynamically. So they track me and down and hire me for a summer. They used two spinning wheels and had a ball feeder that put the ball in the machine in the identical orientation every single time. At 95 mph the speed differential between the two wheels wasn't enough to put a fast spin on the ball. It would rotate about 1/2 revolution by the time it passed home plate. At 105 mph, it spun even less, a lot less. At 95mph, the it would drop lower than the gravitational arc and from the pitcher's point of view moved to the left. A not spin knuckleball is boring you really want about 1 to 1.5 revolutions.

[@matthewguzda4075]

I'm a huge mets fan and when he was with us he was amazing in 2012. But he was such a humble , really humble, and appreciative guy to be where he was. The trade was worth it for both mets and Jays.

[@MichaelMiller-tm2os]

As a Twins fan, some of us were looking at his advanced stats and kinda thought a breakout might be coming. He gave up a lot of homeruns, but otherwise, he wasn't giving up a ton of hits. Also, part of the problem was perception. He was a reliever here, and would often come in with 2 on and no one out. Knuckleballers do tend to give up flyballs if the pitch doesn't move much, so those guys would score on sac flies. I was not surprised by his success and I was happy for him.

[@lescobrandon3047]

When I was a kid in the mid 1950s, my friends and I bought Whiffle Balls and used to goof around throwing all sorts of pitches. I picked up the knuckler and it was almost impossible to catch. The Whiffle ball did what a baseball would do but much more intensive. I found a rising fastball, a ‘drop ball’, curves and other weird applications. Later in Babe Ruth League I was a sometimes pitcher with a fastball that wasn’t fast and a change up that was not much slower than my fastball. One day I decided to throw a knuckler and the manager came out to yell at me. So that was the only one I threw. (We were not allowed anything but fastballs and change ups.)

[@MikeSpille]

Great stuff! Thanks for putting this together!

[@scottmcman7659]

One big difference between Dickey and other k-ballers was he consistently threw it at a higher velocity (77-80 MPH), which gave the hitter less time to track the pitch as it came into the plate. Another fun fact and probably the most intriguing: 𝑹𝑨 𝑫𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝑼𝑪𝑳 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒃𝒐𝒘. Yes, you read that right, hence the bold font. This is a ligament that when torn or damaged can end a baseball career. It's also crucial to even turn a doorknob. Since Dickey didn't have the ligament and nobody told him he didn't have one or that he needed it for his arm to function normally, he just grew up as if it was there the whole time. Not only that, but he pushed the envelope and fooled his arm into pitching in professional baseball. Of course, he wasn't really fooling his arm because as I said, nobody knew his UCL wasn't there;.until draft day that is. The Texas Rangers drafted him 18th overall and offered him a $800K signing bonus. Well, seems some nosy, buzzkill doctor who should have minded his own beeswax called the Rangers and said: "Hey, would you make me the team doctor and pay me a sh|t ton of money if I told you a secret about your bigtime first rounder? I saw a photo of that kid and his arm looked strange. I suggest you send him in for some testing." OK, I made the part up about the MD wanting to be the team doctor (as far as I know), but the Rangers did listen to him and promptly followed his advice. Of course, you know the outcome. Rangers: "Hey Dickey! Not only should you not be able to pitch, but you shouldn't even be able to groom yourself with that arm! You tricked us and we aren't happy!" After finding out that RA had no idea his UCL was missing, they weren't as mad but they did drop their signing offer to $75K. What a sucker punch to the gut that was for RA. However, instead of hunting down said loud mouth doctor and whacking him like Morrie, he signed the offer with no bitterness and as we know, he went on to become the best K-baller in baseball for a few years and the only one to ever win a Cy Young. In that season, he was 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA. He pitched 233 innings, struck out 233, had 5 complete games and 2 shutouts. Yeah, the squirrely movement of a knuckleball is mind bending, but getting it to move like that at 78 MPH is mind blowing. Yes, other K-ballers could hit those velocities, but not on a regular basis and it would also flatten the pitch out, which wasn't good. While the knuckleball isn't supposed to move as erratically at the upper range, with Dickey, that wasn't the case. It was this that separated him from the rest. But, he unbelievably (and contradictory to the pitch he was throwing) had great control as well and didn't walk many hitters. Oh and I guess that missing a UCL might have had something to do with it too. DIckey retired very recently in 2017 at age 42. I have no doubt that he could go right back out there and pitch again with his rubber arm.

[@jordanpatience9249]

A good knuckleball is a beautiful thing i throw mine with 3 fingers and sometimes submarine cos nobody expects it

[@ebogar42]

I can tell you why you haven't seen a 90 mph Knuckleball. It's how you're holding the ball for one. You can't get a lot of throwing power that way, plus if you try to throw it too hard it has a tendency to want to fly out of your hand before you want it too because it's not a great grip. You can throw them at slower speeds than claimed too. Probably faster also but it's hard to reach those speeds because of the grip on the ball. The only reason it's doing what it's doing is because you're trying to get no spin on the ball.

[@schweppley1614]

Can’t be a baseball video without some shade thrown at the Astros Loved the vid man, I actually used to throw the knuckleball throughout highschool, it was my favorite pitch, I used it almost exclusively

[@user6008]

The reason R.A.Dickey's knuckleball was so effective is the very same reason he walked so few batters during his fifteen year career. Dickey's knuckleball was thrown right at the top of the optimal spectrum (67-78MPH) averaging 79 MPH. It's crazy to think a baseball moving sixteen MPH slower than a 95 MPH fastball with no spin, could be so damn effective. Physics is truly astounding.

[@nordattack]

When I was in adult league I threw a 45-50 mph knuckleball and it bobbed all over the place. So 60-70 mph is not necessary to get it to move as your video indicated.

[@Largeagegaplove]

Wilbur Wood, knuckleduster, won 20 games four years in a row from 1971-1974 starting 184 games in those four years. ERA's of 1.91, 2.51, 3.46 & 3.60 during that stretch. Arguably the greatest stretch of knuckleballing in MLB history.

[@SamG91]

Never thought I’d come across physics topics I’ve learned in school this year, but here we are

[@Sabercats12]

I've seen many knuckleball pitchers play through the years from Phil Niekro to former Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright. It's always been fascinating how well those pitchers have been able to throw that pitch effectively for the most part, how few pitchers today are able to throw it.

[@pranavarora9976]

It actually did make my day to learn about Pambo se asa. That's a really pretty name, great descriptor too. Thanks!

[@pablolloyd1450]

as a soccer player absolutely obsessed with the knuckleball, its cool to see it in other sports. mad props to anyone who can master it in any sport. it is an elusive creature but so gratifying when executed correctly great video. thanks

[@sudeshnaseal12]

Found it really helpful in my daughters physics class. Thanks a lot for putting this together.

[@emills6525]

Love the Brazilian reference. My favorite Portuguese word is beija-flor. It is the word for hummingbird, but directly translates to flower kisser.

[@dannyred8668]

Good video with all the all the technical information for support - interesting. The only thing I was thinking about was all the knuckle ball pitchers I have seen over the years. I signed up for Little League in 1956 and was a big baseball fan ever since- baseball was the only youth sport league in those days.

[@kendavis5621]

I had a friend in a slow pitch softball league that had a knuckle ball. It would always look like it was going to go long but then just dropped from the sky and hit the strike zone. He could strike out batters with it, and in slow pitch softball that is pretty amazing.

[@sbblakey]

It's pronounced Charlie Huff.

[@Edalmo7980]

The knuckleball specialist.

[@landonhelm5091]

I had the fastest knuckle ball on record at a KY showcase in 2000... 88mph knuckle ball... the scouts thought I was throwing a fork ball, so I had to show them my grip and how I was doing my delivery... the poor catcher didn't catch a single ball I think....lol

[@jefeestolito6952]

great vid. Charlie Hough is pronounced “huff” not “hugh” but a 99% is a good score. thanks for the great vids, ton of work you put in.

[@billwhitacre703]

Hock

[@Bama_Law]

Boy my catchers HATED catching mine. Usually threw it between slow, slower and ridiculous. 70mph to 40mph. My catcher actually used a softball outfielder glove over a mitt. Of course he hated me when I would sneak a fastball in there.

[@Elijahgavi]

Did it move more the slower it was

[@sebastianroquebert884]

I thought this was going to explain the knuckleball not give me a math lesson

[@ajmassey9]

Thank you for that Indep look at the physics of the knuckle ball. Very interesting. Nice work

[@keatonhatch6213]

Never batted against a knuckleballer but I was a catcher for one in high school and man was it a sight to see. Almost every pitch would just blow your mind.

[@johnellison3030]

I'm an Aussie new to baseball. This was a very good video. Well done.

[@zhawn14]

Having played for a long time, every baseball player tries to throw a knuckleball. It is an amazingly difficult thing to do with the margin between a good knuckleball and a slow spinning change up being exceptionally slim. What makes RA Dickey a knuckle ball pitcher is his consistency with the pitch; his margin of error is so delicate that he has missed games due to a cracked/chipped nail as it prevents him from properly gripping the ball. A knuckleball has 2 reasons for being successful: 1) it has turbulent air flow around the ball causing its flight path to uncharacteristic; knuckleballs go all over the place. 2) and this is related to 1, you can't predict it as a hitter; hitting a baseball is the smallest of margins. The difference between a homerun and a fly-out is .5 inch. A lot of hitting is timing and anticipation; you can't anticipate a knuckleball as its flight path is inconsistent. Sometimes it sinks more, other times it moves more left; a knuckleball is the snowflake of baseball pitches. When you boil it down, a perfectly thrown fastball or curveball may be difficult to hit, but the hitter always has a chance as there a prototypical movement. Knuckleballs don't work thtat way.

[@TheRealSuperGeeks]

It should be pointed out that when Dickey won the CYA, he was 38 years old. The d’Arnaud/Syndergaard trade was a no-brainer at the time for both teams. The Mets, as you point out, were “rebuilding” and the Blue Jays were in a “win now” situation. As a fellow Mets fan, I was all for it.

[@vikramkrishnan6414]

Funnily enough, it is now making waves in cricket

[@thebeatlesnt]

Just to add something to the fun fact about "pombo sem asa", actually a "pombo sem asa" is a very strong kick that seems like it's going up and straight, no curves, no zigzags, and with a rising trajectory, it hits the upper part of the net. The football kick knuckleball here it's actually called "folha seca" (translated as dry leaf... dont ask me why haha), when the ball has no rotation and does this zigzag movement.

[@Vico_Bus]

Great video m8. Only thing you got wrong is that the brazilian expression is "pombo SEM asa" (dove without wings) rather than "pombo se asa" (dove if wing). Minor detail tho, keep up the good job. Cheers from Brazil

[@radioactive9861]

Excellent video. I love knuckleballers! (Willie Hernandez, Detroit Tigers 1984)

[@jon553]

You guys make amazing videos. Definitely deserve more subscribers. Thank you for your great content!

[@mrjanoycresva]

I remember going to Citi Field to see Dickey pitch against the Phillies in 2011. This was after years of being tortured by the late 2000s Mets, so it was nice to finally enjoy baseball again.

[@MM-qi5mk]

There’s a reason there’s almost 0 knuckle ball pitchers in baseball

[@Mr_Nibblesworth]

I had high ceilings in my living room as a kid, no friends, no dad, home alone.. playing catch with myself, throwing knuckle balls only.

[@GlennHope]

😔

[@georgeramirez2099]

As a lover of baseball and the Brazilian culture, I appreciate the Portuguese lesson! awesome vid

[@AJKPenguin]

He and Tim Wakefield. The best two knucklers in recent memory. And Hoyt Wilhelm of the White Sox many years ago. And the Niekro Bros, my Ohio boys! Do dig the video of Charlie Hough @ 4:52 He was the Bartolo of the early 90's.

[@danielparker8189]

Explaining the physics of the knuckleball is like trying to nail jello to the wall.

[@Murph_.]

Phil Niekro didn't understand all this science, I'm sure, but he did say that the best knuckleball rotates 1-2 times on the way to the plate. Knowing now that the rotation exposes different faces to the drag force and the different faces will affect the drag differently and then move the ball differently, sure is nice.

[@barrygysbers5632]

Excellent presentation! I loved the math and science! I don't even like baseball, but the oddities of the sport are quite fascinating! Thanks!

[@lsford777]

Every other pitch has a spin rate, which could act as a gyroscope, helping the ball to retain it's tracking and stability as it flies through the air. Mr. Knuckler has no gyro action and cuts through the air at it's own whims.

[@mi777ke777]

I subbed right after your 5 wonders of baseball. Nice work

[@cjshardcorepunkmusicvault8474]

Dickie in a Jays uniform for quite a lot of the video, not 1 mention? Reallly? Great video, even though you made me do physics. ;-)

[@therealneoneddy]

I’ve seen it happen in hockey. The knuckle puck is not a thing. But I’ve had a puck shot flat faced accidentally and it went all over like a knuckle ball.

[@joaoosahko]

First things first: it's pombo SEM asa, second of all, we call it "folha seca" too bc it reminds us of the movement of a dry leaf (literal translation) falling into the ground.

[@Gk2003m]

If you watch a knuckleball in detail, you’ll notice that for most of its flight it is spiraling. Not spinning, spiraling. It is most clear with the one thrown by Dickey where all three, better catcher and umpire, panic even as it glides into the strike zone for a called strike. But it exists in the initial flight of all of them. The real question is at what point does the ball go “off the rail”, as it were. That point is unpredictable, and that’s what makes it such a great pitch.

[@h-squared5014]

This is exactly what I needed for quarantine. Physics and baseball in one? Perfect.

[@testaccount6042]

Dickey’s story is wild. Came into the league and his signing bonus was basically shredded to 10% of its original offer because they learned he had no UCL. No, he didn’t tear it. He was literally BORN WITHOUT ONE.

[@hugh-johnfleming289]

You can't practice hitting them. Add there is a psychological advantage. I tried to learn it and, fugettaboutit.

[@localcrew]

Vortex *Shedding* - but yeah. I used to use a knuckleball serve when I played volleyball. Just gently strike the ball with the heel of your hand. No throwing the ball up to the rafters and leaping across the court and all the histrionics. Just “Tap” - and watch the opponents as they whiff my serve over and over. Good times

[@R.B.90]

Dickeys warm up music with the Jay's was the theme to game of thrones.

[@tristramcoffin926]

Dickey threw his knuckle considerably faster than most knuckleball pitchers do. If memory serves it was thrown about 85mph. So, that is more lift force on the ball which is going to create greater than the usual 6cm of movement. In part this explains why it was so much harder to hit than most knuckleballs but also makes it that much more impressive, or perhaps lucky, that he was generally able to control it in the strike zone for a full season.

[@thenumber1baller946]

Works for a football too. Throw it like a softball pitch with no spin it's crazy how it moves.

[@briannunez4137]

I think its a great pitch anybody else use the two knuckle pitch because it is great underhand too

[@CoachKeithRobinson]

Was ready to argue the five wonders of baseball until you listed them

[@cubbyjo]

Check out Wilbur Wood in the early 70s. He was a lefty knuckleballer and started over 40 games for 5 straight years for the White Sox.

[@MarkSmith-zg9gz]

Bro he was so much fun to watch when he was with the Mets, I’m a Mets fan so of course I loved R.A. Dickey

[@robk721]

@ 7:45 BURN!!!! Well played good sir!

[@gabeseldin8636]

who’s hype for the mlb season to start

[@aarontolbert9167]

Gabe Seldin meeee!😁

[@jarjarbinks4744]

Gabe Seldin YESS BABY Imma cubs fan but I’m going to Oakland’s home opener vs the Astros to bring a garbage can and boo! (I was already going to the Bay Area for vacation over spring break)

[@Mr_Nibblesworth]

As a dodger fan that dropped 60k in 2017, 2018 for WS tickets and got cheated. I was happy they got eliminated quick.. I can’t afford it..

[@Mr_Nibblesworth]

Cubs MLB Perfect Inning Gaming go to Angel stadium too. It will be 90% Dodger fans to BOO the Eff out of them.. I hope we trash the field like 10 cent beer night but without the beer. if 10k people started to throw trash on the field, they’ll let the inmates (us) run the asylum (Angel Stadium).

[@gabeseldin8636]

Marty McFly • 128 years ago i’ll be in new york cheering on my nats

[@soaplesstv]

This was very awesome. I swear, if science was explained more through sports, rather than abstract examples, a lot more people would understand it. Great job.

[@firemarshal2629]

I played ball from little league to the pacific league and only faced only one real knuckleball pitcher. And he walked me and the three guys behind me and was benched by the end of the third inning. One thing that’s not touched on, when knuckleball throwers are having a bad day, it’s typically a colossal bad day. But it’s easy to why the pitch is so hard to hit, you just simply don’t see it often enough and it’s a pitch that most batting practice pitchers can’t replicate.

[@gertabour9509]

Real Radio Reingold: Jim was a pitcher for his high school team in Palatka so he knows all about this stuff.

[@GeekoTreecko]

"How cool is the term Vortex Shredding?" Uhh it said vortex shedding but hey yk small details

[@dylangrimm2068]

Wondered if this comment would be here

[@lukehewko260]

One of the key factors HAS to be that it's played outdoors. Minor changes in wind must facilitate more extreme and chaotic movement. In volleyball you get massive knuckling but that's because the ball is often hit with little to no spin, I would guess that outdoor volleyball has even more severe chaotic motion.

[@jacquestaulard3088]

well done. Did you also do anything on how they hold the ball and release it? Or aim? Or whether they can throw it sidearm or only overhead? Thanks, good job.

[@TheForeverRanger]

One thing I learned from watching RA Dickey is that the knuckleball giveth and taketh. When it is on, it is on but when it isn't, get the bullpen ready.

[@paulfeliciano5787]

The reason a volleyball and soccer ball knuckle without seams is because of the size of the ball itself and the amount of warping from the impact of the strike. (yoga ball is a great example, a huge ball with lots of elasticity will knuckle a lot more than a smaller harder ball with less warping) The reason a baseball and cricket ball knuckle is because of the seams which catch air at different angles causing the ball to shift. Finally the reason you don't notice sports like basketball knuckle is because of the way the object travels through the air. A ball can only knuckle if it is moving in a relatively straight line, as soon as an arch is attained the knuckle effect is lost.

[@davidtyree1543]

interesting coincidence that my 5 wonders of baseball are exactly the same as yours

[@pickettmandi]

Tim Wakefeild. The best knu kleballs in history.

[@bwphotographer3484]

Quite frankly, the answer why a volleyball (serve) and a soccer "float" is because there is air in the ball. As soon as you hit or kick the ball, the shape of the ball changes. This makes the air floating around the ball, different every inch it travels. A volleyball can move side to side 3 feet and if you hit the ball perfectly, it moves up and down too, but not that much. In soccer, well, just look up a free kick by Roberto Carlos from Brazil against France. That ball moved close to 10 feet to the left. He actually aims 10 feet outside the post of the goal.

[@bartonwilliams2445]

I will never understand people who downvote videos like this. I mean... if it's not for you, just move on. Seriously... the research, the writing, the editing... how about a slow clap people. Bravo Matt. Bravo.

[@srsmatt7272]

Thank you ❤️

[@prolifeloudness9612]

Thanks for making this video!