Famous Spitballers - Show 'Em!!!

[David R]

Originally Posted by thescooper

Whats a spitball?

A spit ball is a lot like a splitfinger fastball in that it has forward rotation (normally a thrown ball rolls off the fingers with backward rotation) because it "slips" out of the index and middle fingers rather than rolling off of those fingers. The pitcher puts a slippery substance on his index and middle fingers and keeps the thumb dry. He then grips the ball with the slippery index and middle fingers on the flat part of the ball (not on a seam). The dry thumb is placed on a seam for better grip. He them snaps the wrist forward and down when he throws it and the top of the ball slips out of the index and middle finger giving the ball forward spin.

I used to be a pitcher in the Braves minor league system and Phil Niekro showed me how to throw it one year in Spring Training (although I don't think he ever really threw the pitch himself).