There’s a big feature story on R.A. Dickey in the Washington Post today. Some of it you’ve seen before -- about his life, his book, and the fact that he may be “The Most Interesting Man in Baseball,” to quote the article.
But if you’re into knuckleball porn, this will be great for you:
Former Rangers knuckleball ace Charlie Hough worked with him extensively, showing him a new grip and a repeatable delivery, and he later got lessons from noted knuckleballers Phil Niekro and Tim Wakefield. The small cadre of knuckleball specialists acted very much as a fraternity. “There’s an instant bond because we’re the only ones who have walked a mile in each other’s shoes,” Dickey says.
It’s like some comic book superhero team or something. Love it. Also love the closing line from Dave Sheinin:
The fastball isn’t a living thing; it’s a rock in a slingshot, a bullet. They don’t have a relationship; it’s a one-way street. The fastball guy may love his fastball, but without that shared history, without the trust built up through understanding each other’s needs, it will never love him back.
Good read.
