Knuckleball!

When I first heard that a documentary film was coming out about the knuckleball, it seemed a little odd. How would you fill a feature-length movie with an examination of a non-rotating baseball pitch? Well, producers Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg have done it—and in the process created one of the most entertaining sports documentaries in years.

The reason is that it's not just about the knuckleball—it's about the struggles of the very few men who have tried to master it in the big leagues. Just as the pitch itself is unpredictable, so were the careers of Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey, Phil Niekro, Charlie Hough and Belmont's own Wilbur Wood. The film focuses on Wakefield and Dickey, but it also tells the tale of the camaraderie among all the knucklers—and the responsibility they all feel to the legacy of the pitch that made their dreams come true.

This is more than a baseball movie, it's a movie about not giving up. As Phil Niekro told Tim Wakefield early in his career, "Accept your losses, but never accept defeat." We recommend this movie highly—four stars!

Knuckleball! is a sports documentary that follows the lives of Tim Wakefield and RA Dickey, two knuckleball pitchers, during the 2011 baseball season. More than this, however, it is a story about the strange life of being a knuckleball pitcher, and goes into some depth, about the history and interesting personalities of knuckleballers over the years.

Knuckleball! is a movie that seems like it should be boring, but it is actually a wonderful human story of following a dream and finding improbable success. Knuckleballers, as the movie explains, are people borne of desperation--they see the end of their careers before them and conclude that, rather than quitting, they have to do something. They find their solution through a practice that at once gains them acceptance but also turns them into something of an outcast. We root for them because we appreciate people who can carve an unconventional path, and in watching them we feel like maybe we imperfect people have a chance also to make it in this world.

As a result, this movie is weirdly profound. For all of you who find the alternate path, this movie is for you. Watch it and cheer on the everyman, as he floats it up to the plate at 60 miles per hour and watches the world's most intimidating sluggers go up in smoke.

Was lucky enough to catch this at the world premier free screening at the Tribeca Film Festival last Saturday.

Really enjoyed its interesting and heart warming story telling about the rare baseball bread of the knuckleball pitcher. Both looking back and looking forward the film brought the story of this select band of pitchers beautifully to the screen.

R.A Dickey... such a class guy and there is something quite touching that he is the only knuckleballer left in the MLB. And you couldn't wish for a better champion of the 'freak' pitch.

Would happily watch it again. Congrats to all those involved.

If you are a fan of baseball, you should absolutely love this documentary on Knuckleball pitchers. Outstanding production. Loved every minute of it.

Knuckleball tells the story of baseball pitchers Tim Wakefield of the Red Sox and R.A. Dickey of the Mets as they go through the travails of the 2011 Major League Baseball season. In the process, viewers gain insight into the mechanics, the lore, and the history of the fluxiest of baseball pitches.

Wakefield in particular comes across as a likable straight-shooter who developed this pitch to salvage his hopes of making it to and staying in the Bigs. Dickey follows in the footsteps of Wake, and seems poised to carry the torch for knucklers into the 21st century. With great interviews and insights from Charlie Hough, Phil Niekro, and Jim Bouton, we learn that knuckleball pitchers are a small, proud fraternity who pass their wisdom down the line to keep the art of the knuckleball alive in an age of flamethrowers and the need for speed.

The art and chaos of the pitch itself lends itself well to the big screen, and for baseball fans and for anyone who loves to root for the underdog, Knuckleball definitely delivers.