The Sports Grouch

It’s really too bad – and sad – that no one throws the knuckleball any more. It’s among the few skills that can take a pitcher without professional-grade speed, strength or size to the major leagues. A well-thrown knuckleball need not go 95 mph.

Take Hall of Famer Phil Niekro. He was here 12 years at Lexington Medical Center with fellow MLB star Bobby Thomson.

Phil joked he never broke the 55 mph speed limit throwing knuckleballs in 24 major league seasons.

It’s like magic

Throwing the knuckleball is almost a magic trick. If you can stop the ball from rotating as it travels from the mound to home plate, it will flutter like a butterfly in a windstorm. Not all pitchers can master killing the spin. As a teenager, I could never do it because it takes a larger hand than mine.

This may sound deceptive because it’s a pitch that creates little strain on your upper body muscles and helps keep your stamina.

The grips differ

• For the 2-knuckle grip, arch your pointer and middle fingers facing down. Hold the ball with your knuckles below the seam.

Dig your two fingernails into the middle of the seams behind the horseshoe. Use enough pressure to firmly grasp the ball, but be careful not to chip your fingernail or hurt your finger tips. Stabilize the ball with your thumb and ring finger on opposite sides of the ball.

• For the 3-knuckle grip, arch your pointer, middle, and ring fingers facing down. Hold the ball so the fingers are right beneath the horseshoe seam. Dig your 3 fingernails into the middle of the seams behind the horseshoe. Use enough pressure to firmly grasp it. Stabilize the ball with your thumb and pinky finger on opposite sides.

• For the 4-knuckle grip, arch all 4 fingers facing down. Hold the ball so that your knuckles are right beneath the horseshoe seam.

Dig your fingernails into the middle of the seams, using enough pressure so that your grip on the ball is firm.

Keep your thumb on the side of the ball, slightly underneath it. This is your only stability point so you may need to grip harder.

• Go through your windup normally like you’re throwing a fastball.

Don’t tip off the batter.

It’s in your mind

Phil Niekro threw 106 knuckleballs in a game. He says that equally important to the mechanics are the knuckleballer’s mind-set.

If you really want to learn how, look up “throwing the knuckleball” online.

You’ll find several videos to show you how. And have fun doing it.

The Sports Grouch welcomes your emails at ChronicleSports@yahoo.com .