knuckleball – Baseball by The Letters

Little ‘Birdie’ Told Orioles of Dan Boone

Tom Owens — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:05:00 +0000

His dream never died!

Christmas is the time of miracles. However, miracles are all around us, all the time. Don’t like the “M” word? Okay…try movie moments.

I love the Dan Boone comeback story. (Yes, baseball history insists he’s forever DANNY, no matter how he signs his name these days…)

After the Astros gave Boone a chance in 1982, everyone thought Boone’s days in baseball were over.

Except for Dan Boone. And his wife.

They both understood that the dream remained. She encouraged him to pursue a chance in the newly-formed Senior League in 1989. Orioles scout Birdie Tebbetts, at age 77, marveled at how the lefty had mastered a new pitch: a knuckleball. Against all odds, Boone became a 36-year-old prospect with the 1990 O’s. The dogged left-hander got his second chance in the bigs.

Boone wrote:

“My conversations with Birdie was mainly after the Orioles signed me. He told me how the Orioles thought he was crazy to recommend me to them. So I was happy to do well for Birdie. I know he was proud of me.”

The pitch that transported Boone back to the majors wasn’t that new for him. He added:

“I started to mess around with the knuckleball when I was around 12 years old. My Uncle showed me the grip and I would practice throwing it just playing catch with friends. I never threw it in a minor league game in the early years but experimented with it in big league camp with the Angels and Padres. when I went to the Senior League in Florida is when I developed it into my #1 pitch.

I used it to strike out Johnny Bench in Cincinnati in 1981.

The reason why pitchers don’t use it much is it is a difficult pitch to master. Most managers and pitching coaches don’t like the pitch.”

Kudos to the website 21 Greatest Days for telling the stories of Boone and other minor league miracles so well!

Barney Schultz Shares Knuckleball Secrets

Tom Owens — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:40:00 +0000

Once a pitching coach, always a pitching coach?

I asked Barney Schultz about his brief stardom as a 1960s reliever. The aged rookie found his overdue ticket to the bigs in the form of the knuckleball.

I never got to see him pitch. I remember him as the tiny head on the Cardinals Coaches cards in the 1970s. No, I didn’t ask him about Mickey Mantle’s homer in the 1964 World Series. I wanted to know about his best-day knuckler. Did it resemble Hoyt Wilhelm’s? Schultz replied:

“Basically the difference in knuckleballs is about the same. Some sink and flutter. Some flutter more (good movement). It is sometimes called a ‘dancing pitch.’ Some pitchers throw it softer than others.

I threw mine as hard as I could for a knuckler. Some pitchers wanted to learn the pitch but the grip of the ball has to be practiced first.

A good grip can only be learned over time. It is a difficult pitch to learn. Take a ball and grip it with your 2nd and 3rd knuckles and imagine throwing it to a batter and being able to control.

I bent my knuckles and used tips of my fingers to sort of dig into the ball and popped my wrist as you do with a fastball.”

Tomorrow: Schultz recalls his best manager ever, along with a six-strikeout day versus the Braves!

Twin Garland Shifflett Is One Lucky ‘Duck’

Tom Owens — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:26:00 +0000

Art by Dugald Stermer,
courtesy Good Nature Publishing

Pitcher Garland Shifflett is a league leader in my eyes. He didn’t have the longest career. Nor, did he send the longest letters. He did make every word count, showing his care in corresponding with a fan.

Shifflett tasted a bit of success in his “cup of coffee.” He earned his only career save on June 11, 1964, stopping the Tigers. (Thanks, http://www.retrosheet.org/!)

First, I wanted to decode his nickname. Shades of “Ducky” Medwick!

“‘Duck’ came from my high school years! I am bow-legged. The name stuck through my career and I had no problem with it.”

Tucked between his 1957 Senators debut and his 1964 stint with the Twins was a busload of minor league action. Why did he log all those seasons for a second chance at the majors?

“What gave me the drive to keep going was the 1st and the 15th (paydays). HA! Honestly, I just purely loved the game.”

Part of Shifflett’s return hinged on the inclusion of a new pitch. He became a knuckleballer in 1963.

“I created the pitch myself. Good catchers [Garland’s underlined emphasis] really don’t care what you throw as long as you strike the batter out.”

I closed my letter with:

“Thank you for your time. My ‘career’ ended in Little League. However, I can close my eyes and I’m back on the field again — like it was yesterday.”
Shifflett replied:

“Thanks for your questions. I also close my eyes and I’m on the mound again!”

I’m grateful to publisher Tim Colman, the force behind Good Nature Publishing. His company offers a great print of “The Slider,” showing the proper grip. These would look great autographed by your favorite pitcher. (This is not a paid affiliate link. I’m just delighted with this art, knowing that other fans and collectors will love it, too!)