Teaching the bent-fingered rise and the up-and-in

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Jan 18, 2010
4,284
0
In your face
Hang on kids, I gotta see this............


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May 4, 2009
874
18
Baltimore
Everyone, I sent Hal a private message asking him if I was this instructor who has "stole" his info... since he referenced a new DVD that is apparently using "his method". I never got a reply from Hal if he was referrencing me or not but, if it was a comment pointed towards me, I'm going to be less than amused. I have been holding my riseball the same way for over 20 years, long before I ever heard of Hal Skinner or anything to do with his "book" and insight. To imply that I used his information, or that he somehow invented this pitch is mindboggling. I have often chuckled at the name "bent finger rise"... not sure why bending a finger give the pitch a new name.

But, if Hal is not referring to me... then I will cool my jets. If he's thinking I took his material or anything of the kind... I'm in a state of disbelief.

Bill

Bill, don't you know that Hal invented the game? Most of the men who throw a rise ball do so with a finger on the ball. The reasoning is that you are putting more pressure on one spot and not over a greater area, giving it more friction and a better spin. It is basic physics. One other thing to note, it would make no sense for you to copy anything that the "sneaky pitching" guru does. You have been successful for so long it would set you back to jump on his nonsense. He'll probably come on and say he didn't mean you, so that will be the end of that.

June
 
May 10, 2010
256
0
I have not read any books about pitching because it is hard for me to visualize, but I have seen some of Mr. Hillhouses videos on u-tube. The last one I saw for a rise ball he said spin your fingers like you are screwing in a light bulb. That was a tip that I passed on to me DD. It really helped her rise ball. The other thing I got from Him was that grips are personal and there is not one way to pitch a rise ball. We can get lost in a right way or wrong way and forget not every tip or technique is right for our kids. I like friendly debate and realized along time ago that we all basically teach the same thing the kids just look different doing it. My DD had a pitching coach Europe that used a bent finger for a rise and was taught in her home country. Point is I like this forum for debate not petty bickering about who invented what. Leave it to tips and ideas and keep those things comming.
 
Jan 4, 2012
3,852
38
OH-IO
DD threw "HOW's" Flat Fingered Knuckleball one time and started explaining it to me...IMMEDIATELY. She even started throwing it up in the air to show me why it worked... I really like Hals=Hows work. Plus he has became our friend. DD is chatting with him as I type. She can read! She is getting his book on Kindle too !!! We are going to send her hard copy out to get it signed...
 
Last edited:
Jan 4, 2012
3,852
38
OH-IO
So Perfect Circle, your daughter is learning the knuckleball from Hal? Enough said.

No... not learning... learned it !!! Not the knuckleball ...but the "Flat Fingered Knuckle-ball". And Immediately as promised...Not first hand from How, but from this site, by reading and looking at the pics. Picked it up first throw. Made it her CU !!!

There can never be enough said, "till somebody sings" you got any .mp3's I can download :{))

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/6266-model-grips.html#post65920
 
Last edited:
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
I know my DD was taught a bent finger rise well over 10 years ago.

I don't think Hal meant he invented it. He said he introduced it here for the first time. I think people are mistaking semantics. He may have even mentioned it in the old Eteamz forums before they died. Too many years ago to be certain.

I've read a lot of Hal's posts over the years. For some reason the tenor of his posts seems to have become slightly more hostile lately. Not sure why.
 
Jan 4, 2012
3,852
38
OH-IO
I know my DD was taught a bent finger rise well over 10 years ago.

I don't think Hal meant he invented it. He said he introduced it here for the first time. I think people are mistaking semantics. He may have even mentioned it in the old Eteamz forums before they died. Too many years ago to be certain.

I agree Sparky

The word semantics itself denotes a range of ideas, from the popular to the highly technical. It is often used in ordinary language to denote a problem of understanding that comes down to word selection or connotation. This problem of understanding has been the subject of many formal inquiries, over a long period of time...

Lyrics from a song from one of my favorites:

"If you don't see the picture, than you won't read the writing on the wall"~GJ
 
Last edited:
May 4, 2009
874
18
Baltimore
No... not learning... learned it !!! Not the knuckleball ...but the "Flat Fingered Knuckle-ball". And Immediately as promised...Not first hand from How, but from this site, by reading and looking at the pics. Picked it up first throw. Made it her CU !!!

There can never be enough said, "till somebody sings" you got any .mp3's I can download :{))

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/6266-model-grips.html#post65920

She then is probably one of 3 pitchers in the world who throw this pitch.
 

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