Notable knuckleballers
Notable knuckleballersEddie Cicotte | Nickname: Knuckles
1905-20 Red Sox, White Sox
Numbers: 209-148, 2.38 ERA
Years in majors: 14
Pitched until age 36
Skinny: Also threw spitter and shine ball, when still legal. Banned from baseball in 1920 in the Chicago Black Sox scandal.
Jesse Haines | Nickname: Pop
1918 Reds, 1920-37 Cardinals
Numbers: 210-158, 3.64 ERA
Years in majors: 19
Pitched until age 44
Skinny: Hall of Famer hit a home run and pitched a shutout in the 1926 World series against the Yankees.
Ted Lyons | Nickname: Sunday Teddy
1923-1946 White Sox
Numbers: 260-230, 3.67 ERA
Years in majors: 21
Pitched until age 45
Skinny: Hall of Famer learned the knuckler in 1931 after White Sox manager Donie Bush pronounced his arm "dead."
Edwin Rommel | Nickname: Eddie
1920-1932 A's (Philadelphia)
Numbers: 171-119, 3.54 ERA
Years in majors: 13
Pitched until age 35
Skinny: Considered the father of the modern knuckleball, his other claim to fame was his second career as a major league umpire.
Emil Leonard | Nickname: Dutch
1933-53 Dodgers, Senators, Phillies, Cubs
Numbers: 191-181, 3.25 ERA
Years in majors: 20
Pitched until age 44
Skinny: Ace of the 1944 Washington Senators' all-knuckleballer pitching staff that included Mickey Haefner, Johnny Niggeling and Roger Wolff.
Hoyt Wilhelm | Nickname: The Doctor, Old Sarge
1952-72 Giants, Cardinals, Indians, Orioles, White Sox, Angels, Braves, Cubs, Dodgers
Numbers: 143-122, 2.52 ERA
Years in majors: 21
Pitched until age 50
Skinny: First reliever elected to Hall of Fame, he mentored Wilbur Wood and Hough. No-hit the Yankees during a rare start in 1958.
Wilbur Wood | Nickname: Wilbah
1961-78 Red Sox, Pirates, White Sox
Numbers: 164-156, 3.24 ERA
Years in majors: 17
Pitched until age 36
Skinny: Won 20 or more games four seasons in a row, including 1972, when he went 24-17.
Jim Bouton | Nickname: Bulldog
1962-70, 78 Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Astros, Braves
Numbers: 62-63, 3.57 ERA
Years in majors: 10
Pitched until age 39
Skinny: Learned knuckler as a child, began using it with Yankees in 1964. Made famous by authoring "Ball Four," a tell-all book.
Bob Moorhead | Nickname: None
1962, 1965 Mets
Numbers: 0-3, 4.51 ERA
Years in majors: 2
Pitched until age 27
Skinny: First of Mets' four knuckleballers, followed by Tom Sturdivant, Rich Sauveur and R.A. Dickey
Nickname: Knucksie
1964-1987 Braves, Yankees, Indians, Blue Jays, Braves
Numbers: 318-274, 3.35 ERA
Years in Majors: 24
Pitched until age 48
Skinny: Hall of Famer owns most wins by a knuckleballer.
Nickname: Knucksie
1967-1988 Cubs, Padres, Tigers, Braves, Astros, Yankees, Twins
Numbers: 221-204, 3.59 ERA
Years in Majors: 22
Pitched until age 43
Skinny: Younger brother of Phil owns the Astros' record for career victories.
Nickname: None
1970-94 Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox, Marlins
Numbers: 216-216, 3.75 ERA
Years in Majors: 25
Pitched until age 46
Skinny: Reliever for the first 12 years of his career, starter for the final 13. Holds record for most wins by an exactly .500 pitcher.
Nickname: Candy Man
1983-99 Brewers, Indians, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Athletics, Indians
Numbers: 151-164, 3.73
Years in Majors: 16
Pitched until age 41
Skinny: Portrayed Wilhelm in Billy Crystal's film, "61*."
Nickname: Wake
1992-2011 Pirates, Red Sox
Numbers: 200-180, 4.41 ERA
Years in Majors: 19
Pitched until age 45
Skinny: First baseman turned pitcher. Surrendered Aaron Boone's series-ending home run against the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS, but pitched for the World Series winners in 2004.
