Having the combination of excellent foot speed and bat speed helped Eric Davis, create what kind of outfield for the Los Angeles Dodgers?
Eric Davis (baseball) Eric Keith Davis (born May 29, 1962) is a former center fielder for several Major League Baseball teams. Davis was 21 years old when he broke into the big leagues on May 19, 1984 with the Cincinnati Reds, the team for which he is most remembered. Blessed with a rare combination of excellent foot speed and bat speed, Davis became the first major league player to hit at least 30 home runs and steal at least 50 bases in the same season in 1987.
List of knuckleball pitchers Knuckleball pitchers are baseball players who rely on the knuckleball as their primary pitch, or pitch primarily based on their ability to throw a knuckleball. The inventor of the knuckleball has never been established, although several pitchers from the early 20th century have been credited. Baseball statistician and historian Rob Neyer named four individuals in an article he wrote in the 2004 book "The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers" as potentially deserving credit, any of whom may have originated the pitch in either the 1907 or 1908 seasons. Nap Rucker of the Brooklyn Dodgers came up to the majors in 1907, initially throwing hard stuff but later switching to the knuckleball. A 1908 article credited Lew Moren as the inventor of the pitch. Ed Cicotte earned a full-time spot with the Detroit Tigers in 1908, earning the nickname "Knuckles" for his signature pitch. A picture of Ed Summers showed him gripping what he called a "dry spitter" using a variation of the knuckleball grip using the knuckles of his index and middle fingers.