Just Because: The Incredible Throwing Motion of Walter Johnson

[Jobu]

I just came across this older piece but I thought many here would like to see it. The video is pretty cool:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-...walter-johnson

[slipk1068]

Olberman ran this same video on his show a few nights ago. He also had Dazzy Vance pitching and Cobb and Babe swinging. It was AMAZING.

[slipk1068]

and I can't emphasize enough it was AMAZING

[packs]

This guy looks like he had the easiest gas of all time.

[Donscards]

He is all arm. It is like a sling shot. Amazing. I wonder if any pitcher could use that motion today?

[DixieBaseball]

Originally Posted by Donscards

He is all arm. It is like a sling shot. Amazing. I wonder if any pitcher could use that motion today?

I believe a pitcher could certainly use this motion today. The whip is what creates the velocity. Sure he uses his upper half a little more than lower half, but he creates one heck of a power angle.

[Lgarza99]

Incredible motion. I have it as my avatar.

[itjclarke]

Love his motion, thanks for posting. Agree with the previous comment about his upper body... you can totally see that twist/torque in his torso, especially in those final shots when he's pitching off the mound. I've admired Luis' avatar for that reason because it's nuts how coiled his upper body is, and where his arm is. I think I'd hear a lot of popping if I were forced into similar position

[Jobu]

I don't think anyone today would get past 7th grade pitching like that before his coach "fixed" his motion.

With his motion and power one would think that Johnson might have been susceptible to arm and shoulder injuries. However, Hank Thomas's excellent book (Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train) really only discusses a single serious arm injury in Walter's entire career. And there are many stories of Johnson, well into his retirement, pitching with speed that still wowed current major leaguers. In response to questions of whether he could still pitch he generally said that his arm felt great and was up to it but it was his knees that were not.

[GregMitch34]

Yes, rather successful whip pitchers named Randy Johnson and Chris Sale...

[Jobu]

Point taken Greg, there are some guys who use a similar motion successfully (though Randy Johnson doesn't really fall into what I meant by "today" as he was a 7th grader in about 1975). There has also been a lot written about Sale anticipating an arm injury. Whether or not it happens it will be interesting to see, but I still think that a coach today would more likely than not try to change the delivery of a pitcher who throws with that motion.

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

Yes, rather successful whip pitchers named Randy Johnson and Chris Sale...

[bravesfan22]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/th...video-archive/

Here's the video with cobb, ruth, johnson etc.

[DixieBaseball]

Originally Posted by Jobu

I don't think anyone today would get past 7th grade pitching like that before his coach "fixed" his motion.

With his motion and power one would think that Johnson might have been susceptible to arm and shoulder injuries. However, Hank Thomas's excellent book (Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train) really only discusses a single serious arm injury in Walter's entire career. And there are many stories of Johnson, well into his retirement, pitching with speed that still wowed current major leaguers. In response to questions of whether he could still pitch he generally said that his arm felt great and was up to it but it was his knees that were not.

If you look at Big Train's delivery at the end of the video, look how he actually stops on his front knee/leg. That is more concerning to me than his limpy, whippy motion. He is fluid and easy with that motion, but his front leg almosts stops his delivery as he puts it in the ground. He doesn't do the classic follow through, bend the back, arm falls over towards the ground, etc. Its as if he uses his front leg as a stopper.... That's weird to me. His throwing motion is beautiful... Love that side action with a snap... Like he is tossing whiffle balls up there.

[D.P.Johnson]

Fantastic. First time I've seen him pitch and I immediately thought, "I couldn't hit a guy that threw like that."

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by DixieBaseball

If you look at Big Train's delivery at the end of the video, look how he actually stops on his front knee/leg. That is more concerning to me than his limpy, whippy motion. He is fluid and easy with that motion, but his front leg almosts stops his delivery as he puts it in the ground. He doesn't do the classic follow through, bend the back, arm falls over towards the ground, etc. Its as if he uses his front leg as a stopper.... That's weird to me. His throwing motion is beautiful... Love that side action with a snap... Like he is tossing whiffle balls up there.

Yeah, I'd noticed that front leg when seeing another video that was posted a few months back. I think it was from that last angle shown in this video, and at full speed. He plants that leg so hard it looks like it's gonna break... and seems that's what he used to trigger his upper body twist. I gotta think he had ease up on that with age.. I just don't see how knees and hips could do that forever.

Really impressive nonetheless, and I wish there were still as many unique motions, swings, etc as there used to be. Seems a lot quirks have been "Tom Emanski'd" out in recent years.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

Yes, rather successful whip pitchers named Randy Johnson and Chris Sale...

Eck had about the best whip motion I've seen.

[earlywynnfan]

Amazing, but it probably helps that Johnson's arms look about four feet long!

Not to divert this thread, but has anyone ever watched clips of Warren Spahn? Check out the video below, at about the 48 second mark. I was always in awe of how he flicked his glove right where the ball was about to be released. I don't know how any batter could ever pick up the ball!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5q7q2VyVKI

Ken

[Rickyy]

Always amazed when I see videos of WJ.... the ball just looks like it was shot out of a cannon...

Ricky Y

[D.P.Johnson]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

Amazing, but it probably helps that Johnson's arms look about four feet long!

Not to divert this thread, but has anyone ever watched clips of Warren Spahn? Check out the video below, at about the 48 second mark. I was always in awe of how he flicked his glove right where the ball was about to be released. I don't know how any batter could ever pick up the ball!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5q7q2VyVKI

Ken

Great video. Thanks!

[slipk1068]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

Amazing, but it probably helps that Johnson's arms look about four feet long!

Not to divert this thread, but has anyone ever watched clips of Warren Spahn? Check out the video below, at about the 48 second mark. I was always in awe of how he flicked his glove right where the ball was about to be released. I don't know how any batter could ever pick up the ball!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5q7q2VyVKI

Ken

Around 1:10 in that video Spahn seems to be throwing a screwball. Looks like he is turning the ball over the way Carl Hubbell did. Never knew Spahn turned the ball over like that.