Knuckleball (1905)

“Witt, the wonderful tonsorial artist and even more wonderful pitcher of the ‘knuckle ball,’ an innovation in the delivery line entirely of his own, will daze and dazzle the Globes the first half of today’s game ….” The Cairo Bulletin, April 30, 1905, p7

“Moren, a young pitcher with Phaildelphia, has invented a drop curve called the knuckle ball and makes it work very prettily.” The Racine Daily Journal, April 30, 1907, p7

  • NOTE: There are several other mentions of Lew Moren and his knuckle ball in 1907. He and other pitchers, including Eddie Cicotte, are associated with the pitch in 1908. 

Previous earliest use (Dickson Baseball Dictionary, 3rd edition, 2009):
1ST USE. 1908 (New York Evening Journal, March 24; Edward J. Nichols). 

See also Knuckle Ball, Knuckler, Knuckle Curve 

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