Knuckleball

February 15, 2015

The origin of the knuckleball is not known with absolute certainty, but a lineage of pitchers wielding the mysterious pitch can be traced from Eddie Cicotte in the early 1900s to the present day. Freedman (The Packers Experience) outlines the history of the knuckleball by telling accounts of the people who used it. Legendary players such as Phil Niekro and Hoyt Wilhelm are prominent, but less-familiar names such as Bob Purkey and Gene Bearden appear as well. Success using the pitch varies from player to player, but the story of how they came to use it is almost always the same: it was either become a devotee to the knuckleball or find a job outside of baseball. This theme links each player on a personal level and helps create what is now acknowledged as a fraternity of knuckleball pitchers. VERDICT Freedman deftly weaves interviews and storytelling with career statistics to produce a cohesive and entertaining narrative. This book is great for baseball history aficionados who are looking for a different angle on America's pastime. The content and language is appropriate for all reading levels.--Matt Schirano, Magnus Wahlstrom Lib., Bridgeport, CT

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