It's a rare pitcher who knows how to throw a knuckleball.
The knuckleball is an extremely effective baseball pitch that sends the ball out of the pitcher's hand without any topspin. That is the ultimate goal. The other awesome aspect of a knuckleball, or floater as it's called, is the movement. A perfect knuckleball will seem to dance as it proceeds to the catcher's mitt. The ball will float and flutter. This is due to the resistance of air and the absence of spin. Either way, this particular pitch has made some of the best hitters in the game look like fools.
Fun fact: Annabell "Lefty" Lee, the aunt of pitching great Bill Lee, pitched the first perfect game in the history of the AAGPBL in 1944 while a member of the Minneapolis Millerettes. Her pitch of choice: the knuckleball.
Throwing the Knuckleball
The most important rule when throwing a knuckleball is having good fastball mechanics. Solid fastball mechanics will allow you to throw the ball with velocity. No velocity means no movement. Next, choose a comfortable grip. There are many ways to hold a knuckleball, but the most common one is the three-finger grip. The thumb, index finger and middle finger tips are pressed into the ball. The ball itself rests against the palm. With all three fingertips touching the ball at the same time, you reduce the chances of excessive spin. Holding the ball against your palm stops unnecessary hand rotation.
Here comes the fun part: throwing the ball. When you release the ball, make sure you push it out with the three fingertips at the same time. Imagine flicking those three fingers to close a kitchen cabinet or the refrigerator door. Pushing the fingers the right way will keep the ball from spinning. This, coupled with good fastball mechanics, will make the ball virtually un-hittable.
Knuckleball Drills
A good drill that you can do on your own is throw the ball up at the ceiling in your room. It will help with the pushing of the fingertips and following of the ball. It's also cool to see how close to the ceiling you can get without spin. Just don't let it hit you in the face on the way down.
Another drill is to stand 30 feet away from a throwing partner and try to throw the ball with absolutely no spin whatsoever. This should give you a good feel for the pitch. Once you've got a good feel for the pitch, move in 15 feet and play hot potato with the knuckleball grip. This will really help you perfect the release.
Other Helpful Hints
Once you get consistent and the velocity is up to speed, try throwing off a mound. There are differences between throwing from a flat surface and the mound, so get familiar with both as soon as possible. Also, throwing to batters and getting their feedback on the pitch will help. Knowing what you did right and what you did wrong is important. Try throwing the ball at different speeds and mix in a few fastballs now and then. Most importantly, be patient. It takes many years to master the knuckleball.
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