History has no conclusive answer to who invented the curve ball, though many credit Fred Goldsmith, who played for the the Cincinnati Reds in the late 19th century. The bigger mystery, many hitters will tell you, is how to hit the curve -- and baseball's various other physics-defying pitches. Using different grips and releases, pitchers take advantage of the seams on the ball, which, to the bemusement of many hitters, cause such pitches to dip, dart and curve. And then there's the old-fashioned fastball, which is more power than guise.
Fastball
The fastball is the most commonly thrown pitch in baseball and at the major league level is often thrown at speeds of more 90 mph. The fastball generally is the easiest pitch to aim and is used to overpower batters, who must quickly trigger their swings to make contact. Pitchers usually grip the fastball across the seams to keep the pitch straight, though there are other variations -- such as the cut fastball -- that require other grips and break horizontally while en route to the batter.
Curveball
The curve ball isn't thrown as hard as the fastball but can be equally difficult to hit. A good curve ball gives the appearance of sailing high and toward the side the pitcher is throwing from, before slicing downward and across the plate. When thrown by a right-handed pitcher against a right-handed hitter -- or a lefty pitcher against a left-handed hitter -- it sometimes appears to be headed directly for the batter, who then ducks out of the way, only to see it curve into the strike zone. Pitchers usually grip the curveball with their fingers coinciding with the straight part of the seams and snap their wrists upon release for maximum rotation.
Knuckleball
The knuckleball is known as something of a gimmick pitch because it travels slowly and has an unusual appearance. The knuckleball floats toward home plate, darting and dropping unpredictably like a fly. When throwing a "knuckler," it's important to put as little spin on the ball as possible; this is what makes it flutter. Pitchers often use their fingernails to throw the knuckleball, digging them into the seams and pushing the ball to uncork the pitch without the typical backspin.
Slider
The slider is a hybrid pitch: part fastball, part curve. It can be thrown as hard as a fastball but is supposed to slice sharply in the direction of the pitcher's glove side. It can be thrown toward the batter so that it cuts back across the plate, or toward the center of the plate so that it hooks out of the strike zone. There are several grips to the slider, but the pointer and middle fingers usually are aligned and diagonally overlapping the seam on one side of the ball.
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