Knuckleball!

2012 baseball documentary

Rating: 14/20

Plot: A look at the titular pitch, considered wacky by some but actually having a long tradition in America's Pastime.

I expected this to cover the history of the pitch and maybe some of the science; instead, it focuses on Tim Wakefield in the twilight of his career trying to get his 200th win and R.A. Dickey as he tries to get his footing in his career. They're both likable enough guys who you end up rooting for. I like how the pitch--unpredictable even to a guy who just pushed it from the tips of his fingers--is a metaphor for the unpredictable career trajectories of most major league players and especially those who live and die by this unorthodox pitch. I also liked how there's a fraternity of knuckleballers--Niekro, Hough, Wood, the current guys--who apparently get together and discuss their craft and whine about how their goofy pitch isn't taken seriously. I'm just kidding with that "goofy pitch" thing, by the way. I love the knuckleball, think it's great for the game, and even throw a pretty mean one myself when absolutely nobody is looking. My favorite footage in this whole thing is where it shows Charlie Hough (I think) throwing what appears to be more of an eephus than a knuckleball. The thing must have floated 15 feet in the air! This documentary inspired me to make my own documentary called Eephus!, but I'm going to first have to find somebody who throws one. Or maybe I'll just resurrect my baseball dreams, learn to throw an eephus, and make a documentary about myself.