That “New Style” of Pitching

I hear it all the time. I want to send her to you for that “new style” of pitching… New style?? Really? I believe the other way is the new style… It’s not a new style, has never been. It’s THE STYLE.

I have a friend I converse with on several occasions, he’s more “old school” if you will in his ways. Great guy loves the game, and is a great coach! I have a few of his players I give lessons to. Some have made huge gains. He calls it “that new style”. His daughter was a pitcher as well back in the day, didn’t pitch this way. I just keep telling him, this is the way THE BEST pitch, so why limit kids, and not have them strive to be one of the best?

There is no debating how the best pitch and have pitched. There is a way they have from the get go. I will say this until I am blue in the face, the ball faces 3rd base, or even palm up! The pinkie leads the ball to release! The ball stays or traces on the inside of the circle or hula hoop just off to your side, it’s not pushed out! The arm should whip! The hand should be palm down on finish, not fingers to the sky or fist to chin!

Analogy time…. You and I go to lake Michigan. We get to skip 3 rocks.

You skip yours by pulling up to the sky, and I get to skip mine across my body with my arm loose and following the rock. Who’s goes farther? Why?

People have said to me countless times, “that new style” it’s not new. It’s the proper way to pitch, and if you’re not being taught that way, you risk being injured. I say this because most of the kids I see, that come to me, have prior injuries related to how they were taught to pitch.

So this past week I wanted to show everyone that this is not the “New Style” It’s THE style, and always has been. Watch as the ball will face 3rd base or palm up, the elbow is slightly bent, and the finish is thumb internally rotates inward(because bio mechanically that’s what its supposed to do) towards body and arm follows the ball just like extension in hitting, or overhand throwing! These are pitchers who pitched in the WCWS… I could have kept going into the 2010s + but I think you get the idea!! There are absolutes in pitching… Below you’ll see them!

1979 – Margie Wright