a slow pitch that moves erratically toward home plate, usually delivered by holding the ball between the thumb and the knuckles of the first joints of the first two or three fingers.
Also, knuckleball.
Also called knuckler
[nuhk-ler] /ˈnʌk lər/ (Show IPA).
Origin
1905-10, Americanism
Word Origin and History for knuckleball
n.
also knuckle-ball, baseball pitch, by 1909, from knuckle (n.) + ball (n.1). So called from the position of the fingers in throwing it. Related: Knuckleballer.
Slang definitions & phrases for knuckleball
knuckleball
modifier
: a knuckleball artist
noun
A pitch thrown from the knuckles that moves slowly and erratically; butterfly ball: Leonard's tantalizing knucklers(1906+ Baseball)