Depending on your perspective, a forkball is either a relic of the mid- to late 20th century or the predecessor of the split-fingered fastball, a widely used pitch in the early years of the 21st century. The forkball was an off-speed pitch, popularized by Elroy Face of the Pittsburgh Pirates and used successfully by aces such as Jack Morris and Dave Stewart. The grip for the forkball and split-fingered fastball is identical, but the split-fingered fastball is thrown much harder, which tends to make the ball dive downward as it approaches the plate.
Step 1
Widen the distance between your index and middle fingers as far as you can.
Step 2
Jam a baseball deeply between your outstretched fingers. Place the ball so your index and middle fingers are outside the two seams.
Step 3
Snap your wrist when you release the ball. This will give the pitch forward spin instead of backspin and cause the ball to tumble as it approaches or reaches the strike zone.
Step 4
Apply finger pressure as you release the ball to make it break down and in or down and away from a batter.
Tips and Warnings
- To throw the modern version of the forkball, the split-fingered fastball, use the same grip, but with the ball not so deeply jammed into the opening between the index and middle fingers. Throw the ball harder than you would throw a forkball. The pitch will explode downward if it is thrown correctly.
- Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Steven Ellis says the forkball is a "tough pitch to master and I don't recommend it early on in your career." Mastering the fastball and fine-tuning your location are the first priorities for a pitcher.
Things You'll Need
- baseball
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