"WHAT A GREAT PITCH":

Learning the knuckleball can be hard on the knees (Dwight Perry, 5/23/06, The Seattle Times)

The knuckleball pitch, developed by Ed Cicotte of the minor-league Indianapolis Indians, celebrates its 100th birthday this year.

"I learned it as a kid trying to throw a ball without any spin to my brother," ex-Seattle Pilots pitcher Jim Bouton told the Indianapolis Star. "I must have thrown 500 pitches and accidentally threw it properly.

"The ball went through the air without any spin, my brother reached up to catch it and, just before it went into his glove, it broke down and hit him in the kneecap. He was writhing on the ground in pain saying, 'What a great pitch. What a great pitch.'

"I spent the rest of the summer trying to maim my brother."