Switch Pitching 101

Nicknames: Eddie, Ed,  Kickapoo Ed, Chief Ed Summers pitched for the Tigers Born: 5 Dec 1884 in Ladoga, Indiana Died:  12 May 1953 in Indianapolis, Indiana College: Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN Team: Detroit Tigers 1908-1912 Batted: Both Threw: Both (primarily pitched Right-handed) Height: 6'2" Weight: 180 lbs Win-loss Record: 68-45 (.602) ERA: 2.42 Strikeouts: 362 Ed Summers, was one of baseball’s first knuckleballers. The ambidextrous Summers is recognized in one article as the " Father of the Finger-tip Knuckleball ". During his baseball career, Summers was commonly nicknamed Kickapoo Ed (after the Kickapoo   tribe in Indiana).  In his 1908 rookie season , Ed Summers emerged as the Tigers' best pitcher, finishing with a 1.64  ERA  in 301  innings pitched  and a 24–12 win-loss record. The following year, Summers threw 282 innings – finishing with a solid 19-9 record and 2.24 ERA.  He tallied...

A  knuckleball  (or  knuckler ) is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown slowly with a special finger grip to minimize the spin of the ball in flight.  The slight rotation causes voritces over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction making it very difficult to hit and catch.  Knuckleball 101   - Blog - Learn how to throw the knuckleball   As used by Eddie Cicotte, the knuckleball was originally thrown by holding the ball with the knuckles, hence the name of the pitch.  Now the  knuckleball  grip includes digging the fingernails into the surface of the ball or gripping the ball with the finger tips. Is there an ambidextrous pitcher who can throw a knuckleball? Watch Switch Pitcher Henry Knight throwing the knuckleball. Great knuckleball pitchers: Tom Candiotti,  Charlie Hough...