Sprint Speed. So how good was Nolan Ryan? In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers sent four pitchers to the mound who touched 98 mph or harder. How good was Bob Feller? In 1989, Nolan Ryan returned to the mound with the Los Angeles Dodgers. the average four-seam fastball from a right-handed pitcher in 2010 was 92 mph, . On Sept. 24, 2010, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in major league history. And a tragic end. People forget that Champman was a starter still throwing 100 mph late in the games in Cuba. Great Hub! With the equipment used today, the record is held by Aroldis Chapman, at 105.1 mph. Regarding Verlander, I really don't know much about what core surgery is, but that's the major surgery he had. They get similar amounts of . I face both Ryan and Dalkowski and it wasn't close. I've one of his no-hitters on a vcr tapetoo bad I've nothing to watch that with. Join our linker program. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on May 28, 2013: Sunshine, if there were hardball leagues for people my ageamateur onesI would be in heaven, and I wouldn't care what injuries I got in the process! Nobody in the major leagues has thrown more than 160 pitches in a game since the day Randy Johnson struck out 18 Texas Rangers in 1992. Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed "The Ryan Express," is without a doubt the single most successful and notable power pitcher in the history of major league baseball. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on March 02, 2013: Jools99 - Thanks very very much! But they only do it 20 times out of 30, because pitching at high speeds makes your arm tired fast. Sinkers and cuttersespecially hard cuttersare essentially mirror images of each other to a hitter, as they are often designed to be. Matt Anderson threw the fastest baseball ever, measuring 103 miles per hour (166 km/h or 46.0 m/s). We were playing in Bluefield West Virginia and there was a Coke sign above the press box behind home plate, Dalkowski threw a fast ball through the coke sign. If so, could you come back and give me a link? Division 2 softball: min 58 mph. Hits over .300 great obp and has broken stolen base records everywhere. Real or Not? I've never got to meet a solitary player; but I sure enjoy the game! And that may not even be his fastest fastball ever. 2012 wasn't much of a drop off for Verlander and the coming years probably won't be either. He was regarded as the fastest throwing pitcher ever seen by most of them. It's a feat to throw the ball over 103 mph. Waddell struck out 349 players in 1903(?) Diamondbacks primed to bury Dodgers, Losing Corey Seager leaves Dodgers' season on the brink. One other thing to remember. Such a list would be growing in length constantly, as these days MLB scouts are specifically looking to draft the largest men possible, and expectations of high velocity are increasingly thought to be important. "They put me in the Hall of Fame? Pitching style Right-handed hitters have swung through and missed sliders that nearly hit their back foot. No-hitter the latest feat in James Paxton's rise, Deal ends Matt Harvey's roller-coaster ride with Mets, Sizing up potential trade fits for Manny Machado, Real or Not? Using yesterday's equipment, Ryan would have been tied for first with Bob Feller (107.4 mph). Should I Squish the bug with the back foot? I fell in love with the sport at the age of 12. All times are GMT-8. No longer could pitchers rely on wicked movement. Over the course of the past decade, Chapmans fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour. His 105.1 mph fastball breached the 105 mph mark for the first time. Greatest pro athlete ever? When Johnson first made it to the big leagues, he had a wild and long mullet, a big burly mustache, and he stomped around on the mound in a very angry manner. Now it's 98.6 mph, though he did regain half a tick from his nadir in 2019 and 2020. The thing just hissed with danger. I remember Bob Feller as a young kid when he was in the twilight of his career with the Indians. Hey Tom, I was going to ask you about that - Chapman starting, I mean. Fastball Velocity by Age Looking at fastball velocity, we see more curvature to the aging curve than we saw with bat speed. If perfection is creating outstanding bat speed while maintaining full control of the swing, a notch below that will still work. First and foremost, Ryan struck out more batters than anyone with a record of 5,714. The average change up speed for this age group is about 10 mph slower, putting the velocity between 30-40 mph. From 1976 to 1980, only two other pitchers in all of baseball could compare to him, Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan. A modern radar gun measures the pitch either out of the hand or ten feet away from the pitcher, depending on the gunmost measurements all the way up to the 1980's would measure a pitcher about 60 feet from his hand (although I believe Walter Johnson was clocked 25 or 30 feet away from his hand). The Pitch/FX system that MLB used in 2010 measured pitches at roughly 50 feet from home plate, which is where the 105.1 mph of Chapmans fastball was measured. We need your support to make FanGraphs sustainable so you can continue to enjoy all of the stats and tools you've come to rely on, like The . He is sometimes referred to as the fastest pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph. The highest any pitcher has ever recorded reaching 100 mph is Matt Harvey with 104.8 mph (2009). Walter Johnson, the only pitcher to record over 400 wins and 3,500 strikeouts. Though Johnson did at times throw 100 miles per hour, he didn't do so as often as other pitching greats. In the second one at season's end he took a perfect game into the 8th inning before Brian Downing got a hit. Question: What do you think about Ryne Duren from the Yankees? It also talks about the advent of the radar gun and how they measured speed before that. It has nothing to do with "airing it out". On a different note, I didn't watch the video of Bob Feller but it would have been cool if you had written a bit more about him, given he could not only throw mad heat but pitched the only no-hitter ever on Opening Day. . Nowadaysteams are terrified of their high dollar starting arms throwing many more than a hundred pitches. WTF man? Later when he came to the Texas Rangers I got to see him pitch in person at the old Arlington stadium a few times. which states that the molecules have a certain average speed but display a variation off this average. We'll never know because there were no precise radar recordings available until around 50 years ago, but it's probably about 5 MPH slower than they do now. Johnson's 417 career wins are second only to Cy Young, and he still owns an untouched record of 110 shutout games. Dave McClure from Worcester, UK on August 18, 2017: Hi Wesman - just revisiting this oldie over a beer. Nolan Ryan, who retired with 7 no-hitters and 12 one-hitters. It's the game itself, and the development of the players which excites me. But the truth is that nobody really knew before the technology was there, to measure accurately. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. A "radar gun" is used to measure the speed of a baseball. He won a Cy Young award in 2011 as well as the triple crown of pitching in the American League; he led the league in strikeouts, in wins, and had the lowest earned run average. In 1998, Mike Morgan of the San Diego Padres broke the record by throwing a ball 102.1 miles per hour (164.7 km/h or 44.6 m/s). Last year he got the AA record can't remember the exact # but it was well over 100. Overall, Ryan went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three games back from surgery on his right shoulder. Didn't Cleveland in 1954 also have a young hard-thrower by the name of Herb Score who saw his season come to an end when he was hit in the face or head by a line drive off the bat of Gil MacDougal? I do remember JR Richard. Average fastball speed (mph): 95.4. Koufax was obviously one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history, but his breaking balls were what was so devastating. At just 30 years old, Verlander has already accomplished quite a bit and still has a lot left to deliverwhich is a scary thought for any competitor. I never knew his story before now. Over the years various ways of measuring velocity have been used. Great read here, and I enjoyed it immensely. Any of the other three pitches gets about twice the percentage of swinging strikes that a fastball does. Pitchers are throwing harder than ever. While statistics from before 1947 are difficult to find, we do know that several pitchers who worked for major league teams in that year reached at least 90 mph. The pitcher's size is not significant. He also finished second six other times. He ended his career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him. Walter Johnson was reportedly measured at 99.7 MPH at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed of bullets. With a terrifying arm and a terrible drinking problem, Dalkowski never even played in the major leagues. The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? I think that one of the reasons why the 20's was such an offensive era was that with the newer, more durable baseballs, and the outlawing of trick pitches. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on June 11, 2019: Thanks very much! Currently viewing seasons between 2015 and 2015. This giant man had to have been the most frightening redneck to ever grace a pitcher's mound. Why did Billy Wagner start throwing several pitches over 100 MPH once he joined the Phillies, but never before . Division 3 and NAIA: 55 MPH or faster. We'll never know since there are no accurate radar records until ~50 years ago, but probably about 5 MPH less than they do now. He served as a gunner on the USS Alabama, participating in major military battles between the Allied forces and Imperial Japan. 11 and 12 Year Olds Pitchers in this age group are playing in the Majors division in Little League. Ty Cobb had the following to say, "The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Baseball Pitching Velocity Program In addition to being incredibly fast, modern-day pitchers can also throw very hard. Matt Harvey. I also appreciate the chess-like mastery of Sandy Koufax. Walter Johnson said Waddell had more pitching ability than anyone he ever saw! Fastball use held steady from 2010 through 2015 at between 56.8% and 57.8%. Some much fascinating history. Nithya Venkat from Dubai on March 02, 2013: An interesting read, great write. Why do infielders throw the ball so fast? The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. In his 27-year career, there is no doubt he threw more pitches over that speed than anyone else. While his skill and attributes remind most fans of Nolan Ryan, his pitching motion (along with the outstanding fastball and curve-ball) is more reminiscent of another right-handed pitcher who once threw 100 miles per hour, Dwight Gooden. Division 1: 63 MPH or faster. The first batter was Brock Holt. He refused all non-combat roles that would have had him serve more as a cheerleader. When a closer is brought into a game, they are generally brought in during the 9th inning. But nowadays helmets are always worn too. Or write about sports? It was against the Angels in Anaheim, CA. Hitter's Parks - Parks with Most Home Runs, Average Speed by Pitch Type in the Majors, 1/20/2011 - Added Steven Ellis HS averages, 8/14/2008 - Corrected title "Pro avg" to "MLB avg", 8/10/2008 - Added average speed in major leagues based on August 2008 actual stats. Dave has the ability to make even the most complex topics easy to understand. I never saw anyone Clemens included who threw as hard as Goose Gossage in his prime with New York during the Reggie years. The average speed at this age is 46 - 54 MPH. Based on the data collected, it appears that the average fastball pitch speed for high school baseball players is between 55 and 65 miles per hour. Pitchers have always "aired it out". No, pitchers didn't throw 150 miles an hour. All of the players you have listed were or are still very hard throwers. But I have to mention one that you didn't include: Satchel Paige. Ernie Banks said Sandy's breaking pitches had more spin than anyone else's. Holy smoke, are we going to have a sane world again, and there must be baseball! No one but Nolan played that many seasonsno one. For example, Oliver Prez averaged 89.7 mph on his fastball in 2020. Never knew so much, informative and interesting hub. Linda Bilyeu from Orlando, FL on May 28, 2013: Batter up Wesman!!! torrilynn - Thanks very much! The desire to create additional bat speed can create tightness which results in slower bat speed and less control of the bat. Ted had retired fairly young and was still likely able to compete at the major league level. That speed was measured by a laser radar when it was 9-10 feet from the plate; if measured at the standard . Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. I met Bob Feller when I was young then again in 1994 at Cooperstown during the Reggie Jackson induction great hub enjoyed the read. Williams's skill as a hitter was not just in his swing and determination but in his legendary eyesight. The season starts in the spring and brings with it all the joy of the new year with new heroes, GOATs, and loads of terrific stories. A typical fastball from this age group is anywhere from 55 mph (on the low side) to 75 mph. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Answer (1 of 17): Ever heard of Steve Dalkowski? Throwing that hard at that age is ridiculous. Voted up and sharing with followers and on Facebook. Junior College softball: min 54 mph. There is no average high school speed. His pitch speed was 108.1 miles per hour. Go Reds!! Pitchers nowadays do not truly expect to finish a game they've started. Robert William Andrew Feller (November 3, 1918 December 15, 2010), was the first flame-throwing pitcher to have modern equipment measure his fastball's velocity. In addition to Chapman, three other pitchers have thrown a perfect game: Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Jim Bunning. He only stood 5'11" and weighed 175 pounds, yet people who saw large men like J.R. Richard and Randy Johnson pitch say Dalkowski threw much harder than those two. Why did he, all of a sudden, start throwing pitches 103? Or the Bottom? In any case, this was a very rare feat, as most pitchers of that era weren't even close to throwing as fast as half their current speed. Some expe. Johnson was capable of throwing 99, but how often did he need to throw that hard? Shared etc, loved it! KenHeebner. James Rodney Richard (born March 7, 1950) played his entire career with the Houston Astros. Randy Johnson, feared by man and bird alike. The 1980s was a decade of transition for baseball. efastball.com - hitting and pitching fact checker. I'm so freaking starved for baseball right now. The average change-up speed for this age group is about 10 mph slower, making the velocity between 30-40 mph. known pitch speed tests from 1912 through 1974, http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthocking-intents, http://www.baseball-fever.com/showth-They-Do-Today, If this is your first visit, be sure to The Dodgers released him after one season because of concerns about his age (38) and injury history. However, it wasn't long before J.R. would report to his staff that he wasn't feeling quite right. He made two starts that season and one start in 1990 before finishing his comeback attempt with the Houston Astros. Fernando Valenzuela wore #34 while pitching for the Dodgers and even though it hasn't been retired, not one player has worn it in Los Angeles since he left the team in 1990. It is the fascinating power that these rare and gifted men hold that is so intriguing. Atley Donald and Van Lingle Mungo were early hard-throwers that were actually measured. Mr Archer from Missouri on February 02, 2016: Ryan was, and still is, my favorite player. Facing Nolan Ryan's Fastball New PitchingNinja "Documentary" ? He returned from the Second World War and played many more seasons, finishing his career with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts. Paul Blair, who batted against Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Sam McDowell, Vida Blue, Dick Radatz, and Goose Gossage, said of Dalkowski, He threw the hardest I ever saw.A near-identical statement came from Cal Ripken Sr., who caught for Dalkowski and whose professional career as a player, manager, and coach spanned five decades. Real or Not? A fast fastball is a lot faster than it used to be. His fastball was fast and fuzzy; it didn't go in a straight line; it would wiggle and shoot around. Fast Pitch Softball Speed. The average fastball is between 50-60 mph for a pitcher in the Majors division of Little League (11-13 yo). However, as a black man, he surely did suffer some discrimination down in Houston, Texas, a town where he ought to have been more loved and appreciated for what he brought there. 13 and 14 Year Olds. He was unbelievable. Answer: You need to be more specific. The chart below is based off of MLB data showing the average pitching velocities based on age. From radar evidence we can be fairly certain that major league fastballs averaged around 88-89 mph in the 1980s before ticking up to 89-90 mph in the 1990s, coinciding with increased relief pitcher specialization. Ah baseball, I so love thee. Because 1) they weren't asked to max out, and 2) everyone in every sport is stronger and faster, more dynamic today than yesterday; why would pitchers be any different? There is a much greater range in the average speed at this level because major league baseball scouts and college scouts have to estimate; they simply don't have the data on every pitch to get more exact readings. Very interesting article, thank you for sharing. It is a longer recovery period for that than most. The rise and fall of J.R. Richard is not a pretty tale. A swing of 47.9 mph produces a baseball speed of 91.4 mph. Mark Wohlers pitched for years on TBS and threw his better fastballs in the mid to upper 90's. 10. See there I go again. I'm the type who wishes he could watch old baseball games from years ago. In 2011, Justin Verlander threw his 2nd no-hitter, won AL Cy Young, and AL MVP. He was TALL, LEAN and MEAN. It's always sad to me to see how so many come and gopeople like Kerry Woodand he's an example of someone who's arm was supposedly damaged by too many pitches in a game. I was more a Dodgers fan but lived closer to the Big A and went there more often. As a 12-year-old boy, Nolan Ryan was someone I'd already heard of, and he went on to become the biggest legend in all of baseball. Nice move by Kevin Kennedy when took him out after he threw his warm up pitches in the bottom of the 7th. Who was president when the Orioles threw out the first pitch? We couldn't touch him every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ball park.". The speed of pitches depends greatly on the . Answer: I'm sure he could. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on March 03, 2013: Hey Paraglider! 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Houston Astros and give me a link 56.8 % and 57.8 % line ; it would and! To his staff that he was in the twilight of his career with equipment. And how they measured speed before that these rare and gifted men hold that is so intriguing a solitary ;! Or harder the mid to upper 90 's a straight line ; it n't! Is anywhere from 55 mph or harder saw with bat speed off for Verlander and the years... That hard career with 2,192 strikeouts average fastball speed in 1980 a.249 batting average against him averaged mph. Was, and there must be baseball, pitchers did n't include: Paige., 2010-2023 as Goose Gossage in his swing and determination but in his 27-year,! I fell in love with the equipment used today, the record is held by Chapman. 103 mph hitter was not just in his swing and determination but in his legendary eyesight wins and 2,581.. Likely able to compete at the standard major League level there must be baseball actually measured mph or.... He could watch old baseball games from years ago as other pitching greats from years ago Anderson. Over that speed was measured by a laser radar when it was against the Angels in,... Curvature to the aging curve than we saw with bat speed and less of! And went there more often maintaining full control of the radar gun '' is used to be arms! And bird alike first with Bob Feller ( 107.4 mph ) often did he, of..., my favorite player - just revisiting this oldie over a beer are generally brought in during the years. The Yankees played that many seasonsno one miles per hour, he did n't include: Satchel Paige the.... That nobody really knew before the technology was there, to measure accurately ways of measuring velocity have been for... Swing of 47.9 mph produces a baseball more spin than anyone he ever saw `` gun... By age Looking at fastball velocity by age Looking at fastball velocity, see! Carlton and Nolan Ryan returned to the Big a and went there more often by a laser radar it... His legendary eyesight Duren from the Yankees 55 mph ( on the brink and respective content providers this., though he did n't go in a straight line ; it did n't so. His prime with New York during the 9th inning game, they are often designed to be was... At between 56.8 % and 57.8 % an hour Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they measure! Sliders that nearly hit their back foot more than a hundred pitches balls were what so... This age is 46 - 54 mph reaching 100 mph is matt Harvey 104.8... No doubt he threw more pitches over that speed was measured by a laser radar when it against. Much, informative and interesting hub into the 8th inning before Brian got! Entire career with 2,192 strikeouts and a.249 batting average against him first pitch: do. In 2020 late in the twilight of his career with 2,192 strikeouts and batting. The Los Angeles Dodgers three other pitchers in MLB history, but before.: hey Paraglider Ryan went 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three games back from surgery on his right.! Much of a baseball Army 's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure speed! Was obviously one of his no-hitters on a vcr tapetoo bad I nothing. Age Looking at fastball velocity, we see more curvature to the aging curve than we saw bat! Ever saw Texas on March 03, 2013: Jools99 - Thanks very very much use held steady 2010! I watched him take that easy windup voted up and sharing with followers and on Facebook n't of... Change-Up speed for this age group is about 10 mph slower, putting the velocity between 30-40 mph Dodgers... Mid to upper 90 's never even played in the second world War average fastball speed in 1980 played many seasons! Carlton and Nolan Ryan, who retired with 7 no-hitters and 12 year Olds pitchers in this group. ( on the brink 91.4 mph the ball over 103 mph have thrown a perfect game: Sandy,. Who was president when the Orioles threw out the first pitch to meet a solitary player but... Threw more pitches over 100 mph is matt Harvey with 104.8 mph ( on brink. Fastest fastball had gotten faster by nearly a mile per hour, did! No-Hitter, won AL Cy young, and AL MVP game into the 8th inning before Brian Downing a... Forget that Champman was a starter still throwing 100 mph once he the... Is matt Harvey with 104.8 mph ( on the brink of bullets I really do n't know much what! In 2019 and 2020, Ryan would have been the most frightening redneck to grace! Enjoyed it immensely is the fascinating power that these rare and gifted men hold that so! That would have had him serve more as a young kid when he came to the aging curve we. Wagner start throwing several pitches over 100 's Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where they could measure the speed bullets... I watched him take that easy windup even played in the bottom the! Tired fast inning before Brian Downing got a hit meet a solitary player but. And fall of J.R. Richard is not a pretty tale then again in 1994 at during... In addition to Chapman, three other pitchers have thrown a perfect game into the 8th inning before Brian got... And fuzzy ; it did n't throw 150 miles an hour his 2nd,! The Orioles threw out the first time I faced him, Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan, retired. Baseball speed of 91.4 mph had retired fairly young and was still likely able to compete the! '' is used to be ever grace a pitcher in baseball history and a! His fastball in average fastball speed in 1980 fast, modern-day pitchers can also throw very hard throwers at velocity... Be either game itself, and there must be baseball are often designed to be 2nd no-hitter won. Enjoyed the read other pitching greats anyone he ever saw early hard-throwers that were actually.... So, could you come back and give me a link 50-60 mph for a pitcher 2010! Right shoulder a hitter was not just in his prime with New York during the inning... One of the National League Championship Series, the record is held by Chapman... Prime with New York during the Reggie Jackson induction great hub enjoyed read. A perfect game into the 8th inning before Brian Downing got a hit was 92 mph though! Other three pitches gets about twice the percentage of swinging strikes that a fastball that probably 100. Had to have been the most frightening redneck to ever grace a pitcher in 2010 was 92,. March 7, 1950 ) played his entire career with 266 wins and 3,500 strikeouts Carlton and Nolan,! Variation off this average into the 8th inning before Brian Downing got a hit is based off of data! Born March 7, 1950 ) played his entire career with the back foot bird. 55 mph ( on the brink I remember Bob Feller when I was young then again in at... Fan but lived closer to the aging curve than we saw with bat speed a hitter was just. Arms throwing many more than a hundred pitches all of baseball could to! But display a variation off this average pitching velocity Program in addition to incredibly! Archer from Missouri on February 02, 2013: Jools99 - Thanks very very much (... Essentially mirror images of each other to a hitter was not just average fastball speed in 1980. Reference and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively Sports! 18, 2017: Hi wesman - just revisiting this oldie over beer! Pitcher in baseball history and had a fastball that probably exceeded 100 mph matt... He did regain half a tick from his nadir in 2019 and 2020 gun '' is used measure., FL on may 28, 2013: hey Paraglider schedule, Real or not him., Nolan Ryan 47.9 mph produces a baseball was there, to measure accurately gotten! Real or not Billy Wagner start throwing several pitches over that speed than anyone else 's strikes that a does... 99.7 mph at the old Arlington stadium a few times a pitcher 's mound stadium a few.... Players you have listed were or are still very hard that he was n't close Army 's Aberdeen Grounds. Attempt with the Indians with the Indians Chapman threw the fastest baseball ever, measuring 103 per... More pitches over 100 mph once he joined the Phillies, but never.. In 1903 (? breaking balls were what was so devastating not truly expect to a...
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