Knuckleballers!

Welcome to my debut post of cards from my Unique Cards album. Knuckleball pitchers showing or throwing their knuckleball on a baseball card is a pretty rare thing, so I try to find a card of each, of the very few knuckleball pitchers that depicts, or best depicts, their signature pitch.

In the history of the game, there have been only about 30 legit knuckle ball pitchers. This I find truly amazing! I mean, how many total pitchers have there been in the history of MLB? 8,000? 10,000? Whatever that number is, very few pitchers have had success throwing this elusive pitch - crazy!

I started this collection with some cards I had in the 70's & 80's (Wilbur Wood, the Niekro brothers, Charlie Hough, and Tom Candiotti). Then I started to do some research to see who else had even a moderate amount of success throwing the knuckler in MLB. Then I started to seek out cards of said players actually showing or throwing their knuckleball. This is my goal - to have a card of all the bonafide ML knuckleball pitchers showing (or throwing) their knuckleball.

First up is Ed Cicotte on a 1981 TCMA Galasso card. He was ultimately banned from the game as part of the 1919 Black Sox scandal, and he's in my Unique Cards album three times... Permanently Banned players collection, Knuckleballers, and Four 20-Game Winners on One Team (future posts!).

Next up is Hall of Famer Ted Lyons on a 2017 Panini Diamond King showing his grip. Top right is a wonderful Conlon photo of Dutch Leonard. Leonard still holds the ML "modern" ERA record for the lowest single-season ERA of all time - 0.96 in 225 IP in 1914!

Middle row starts with Hall of Famer Jesse Haines on a 1961 Fleer. Reserve space. And last is Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm while with the White Sox showing his grip on a 65 Topps.

Bottom row starts with Cincinnati Red Hall of Famer Bob Purkey on a 1962 Topps, followed by Eddie Fisher with the White Sox on a 65 Topps, and Wilbur Wood with the White Sox on a 72 Topps. For all the years that Wood pitched (1961 - 1978) you'd think I could find a card of him showing the knuckler... but no, not yet anyway.

Whoever caught Wilhelm and Fisher in 65, and perhaps Wood in 67, sure had their hands full trying to hang onto knuckleballs from multiple knuckleball pitchers! In 65 it would have been John Romano (122 games), J.C. Martin (119 games), and/or Smokey Burgess (80 games).

This sheet has the first five players showing their grip, followed by four players throwing their knuckler! The sheet starts with an autograph card of Jim Bouton while with the Seattle Pilots on a 1982 Galasso card. Bouton authored the baseball book "Ball Four," which was a combination diary of his 69 season and memoir of his years with the Yankees, Pilots, and Astros, which I've yet to read. Next is a wonderful 86 Donruss two-for-one knuckle-showing card of brothers Phil and Joe Niekro, while both were with the Yankees. Phil was inducted into the HoF in 1997, and brother Joe had a very fine career in his own right with 221 lifetime wins! Last on the top row is 216 game winner (and loser) Charlie Hough while with the Marlins on a 93 Topps.

Middle row left is Tom Candiotti on a 1990 Topps, Steve Sparks on a 96 Topps, and Steve Springer on a 98 Topps card while with the Angels.

The bottom row shows former Cinci Red Jared Fernandez on a 2007 Baseball Magazine card while playing with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp Japanese baseball team (I actually thought he was with the Reds when I bought this card because of the red cap with the white 'C' on it - oops :)), followed by Tim Wakefield on a 93 Leaf Triple Play card while with the Pirates, and R.A. Dickey on a 2013 Topps "Calling Card" while with the Mets. Dickey was the first knuckleball pitcher to win the Cy Young award after posting a 20-6 record in 2012. He also wrote an amazing autobiography titled "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity, and the Perfect Knuckleball." I highly recommend it.

Last sheet starts with an auto of Steven Wright on a 2017 Topps Stadium Club card, followed by a 2013 Panini Triple Play Baseball 101. The middle row features a 2015 Gypsy Queen mini Basics of Baseball. The bottom row is 1974 Fleer Baseball Firsts. On the back it writes about Thomas "Toad" Ramsey who discovered the knuckleball in 1880 because of a youthful accident that had cut a tendon in his middle finger. I have to start looking for a card of that fella.

If anyone knows of any cards that might improve this collection I'd appreciate it if you would let me know so I can hunt that card down.

There you have it... 14 out of 19 showing or throwing their knuckle ball (counting the Niekro bros.), five White Sox pitchers, four Hall of Famers, two autographs (which I don't intentionally collect), and two writers!

Thanks for stopping by!

CinciCuse Bill