ESPN rags on poor Candy Cummings...

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Posted By: HalleyGator 

http://espn.go.com/magazine/wulf_20020515.html

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Posted By: runscott

According to William Murdock in the April,1914 issue of "Outing Magazine", the first curve was used successfully in the spring of 1866 by Princeton pitcher Edmund Davis. At that time he began developing several styles of curves in order to make the Princeton starting team as a freshman in the summer of 1866, which he did (there were 6 teams at Princeton). His curves were so impressive that "during the winter Davis would pitch in the long hall at the west end of North College where the students gathered to watch and to attempt to catch the balls he would pitch".

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Posted By: leon

I could be wrong here but didn't the early pitchers pitch underhanded? If so I think a curve would be pretty interesting regards all

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Posted By: runscott

In the spring of '67 the baseball "convention" made a ruling that the pitcher could no longer bend his elbow during delivery. Cummings was one of the few pitchers to adapt quickly and continue to throw curves, despite the new limitation. Until 1893, the distance from the mound to home plate was only 55 feet, so throwing underhand with a stiff arm wasn't as much of a disadvantage as you might think. I'm not sure when pitchers started delivering overhand pitches - 1893 maybe?