fastest pitch recorded

[glennnphp]

i've asked a few people and have never got a definitive answer - i think i remember Tekulve breaking 100+ once or twice, but i'm not sure... aren't there a few pitches recorded at about 103 MPH in the past...?

i know you guys know this. i don't.

[Brooklyn]

i've asked a few people and have never got a definitive answer - i think i remember Tekulve breaking 100+ once or twice, but i'm not sure... aren't there a few pitches recorded at about 103 MPH in the past...?

i know you guys know this. i don't.

there are many answers to this question, depending on whose clock you believe. the radar guns at ballparks are hardly well calibrated, so they can't really be relied on.

The Guiness Book of World Records recognizes Nolan Ryan at 100.9, based on a game they recorded in 1974.

You'll see many stadiums show 100, 101 and even 102 or 103 from time to time, but that is hardly conclusive. Steve Dalkowski should always be in this conversation, although no one can say with certainty how fast he actually threw

If you do a search on this site, I believe you'll find other threads regarding this

[statman]

i printed a list a week ago and mark wohlers and joel zumiya threw won 103 mph.

[Old Sweater]

i printed a list a week ago and mark wohlers and joel zumiya threw won 103 mph.

Which gun did they use for Zumaya. Hope it wasn't the FOX TRACKER that is 3mph or so faster then the JUGS and the JUGS is 3mph or so faster then the speed gun the scouts use. The FOX TRACKER picks up ball right out of the pitchers hand compared to 6 inches out of the hand like the JUGS which I believe is the mosted used by the ballparks. Those 3 pitches that Zumaya struck out A Rod on in the 2006 playoffs were like 103/102/100 by the FOX TRACKER but none of them crossed the plate over 95 or 96.

Most recognition still go's to Nolan Ryans 100.9 that Brooklyn posted.

Although not official, the fastest observed fastball speed was a pitch from Mark Wohlers during spring training in 1995, which allegedly clocked in at 103 mph.[6]

The official record according to the Guinness Book of World Records is 100.9 mph by Nolan Ryan in 1974. Ryan's pitch was clocked using coherent infrared radar.[7]

The reliability of radar guns used at MLB games more recently has been questioned. USA Today columnist Mike Lopresti reported that FOX was using radar guns which recorded speeds 3 to 4 miles an hour faster than the readings on the McAfee Coliseum radar guns in Game 1 of the 2006 American League Championship Series.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Zumaya

[glennnphp]

it's a shame there weren't means of doing so when Walter Johnson was pitching - i think that was the general consensus back then, that you can't hit the baseball if you can't see it.

with those arms of his, and that beautiful windup, i'd lay GOOD odds that he threw the same stuff Ryan did.

and who was that crazy effin' romanian? didn't he have some sick heat?

i know Wohlers had the stuff. there were about five of his fastballs that actually crossed the plate between the two on-deck circles, if i'm not mistaken...

[Old Sweater]

it's a shame there weren't means of doing so when Walter Johnson was pitching - i think that was the general consensus back then, that you can't hit the baseball if you can't see it.

with those arms of his, and that beautiful windup, i'd lay GOOD odds that he threw the same stuff Ryan did.

and who was that crazy effin' romanian? didn't he have some sick heat?

i know Wohlers had the stuff. there were about five of his fastballs that actually crossed the plate between the two on-deck circles, if i'm not mistaken...

I like the buggy whip action of Watler Johnsons arm.

From history section.

[califangels72]

Most recognition still go's to Nolan Ryans 100.9 that Brooklyn posted.

[califangels72]

The Guiness Book of World Records recognizes Nolan Ryan at 100.9, based on a game they recorded in 1974.


article and comments on the night they recorded ryan's pitches...interesting read.

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/09/remembering_the.php

[DetroitTigers]

I am pretty sure Joel Zumaya did throw 103 mph because I went to a game where he threw and it clocked at 103 on the stadiums radar and 100-102 numerous times. I also watched Fox's tracker and it also read 100-102 in many other games. I think Nolan Ryan is the most reconizeable fastest thrower but I do think The Guiness Book of World Records has to renew the record as everyone knows it could and would be broken. I do reconize Nolan Ryan as one of the top pitchers ever to play the game.

[Seattle1]

Randy Johnson.

[stevebogus]

i've asked a few people and have never got a definitive answer - i think i remember Tekulve breaking 100+ once or twice, but i'm not sure... aren't there a few pitches recorded at about 103 MPH in the past...?

i know you guys know this. i don't.

No way Tekulve threw anywhere near 100. You must be confusing him with some other pitcher.

One issue with measuring a fastball is the fact that as soon as the ball leaves the pitcher's hand air resistance begins slowing it down. A fastball loses about 8 MPH between the pitcher's hand and home plate. I read an article about the measurement of Nolan Ryan which indicated that the measuring device used a doppler-effect infrared laser which was located up in the stands behind home plate, aimed over the catcher's head at a point maybe 10 or 15 feet in front of home plate. In the 35 or 40 feet after leaving Ryan's hand the ball probably slowed by 5 or 6 MPH. So the "muzzle velocity" for a pitch measured at 100.9 MPH would have had to be about 106 or 107 MPH. I don't know how quickly a modern speed gun registers, but I doubt it catches the precise release point. It makes a difference if the gun is reading the ball 10 ft. out of the pitcher's hand or 30, in the extra 20 ft. The ball would lose perhaps 3 MPH.

So, without the exact details of the measurement even a perfectly working gun does not tell you exactly how fast a pitch was. The best you can say is the ball was at that speed at some point.

[NJMetfan4life]

Steve Dalkowski threw at 108.something mph in a minor league game one time.

[Brian McKenna]

Steve Dalkowski threw at 108.something mph in a minor league game one time.

...and Santa climbs down the chimney...Read about these and other fairy tales at BBF

[Dalkowski110]

"Steve Dalkowski threw at 108.something mph in a minor league game one time."

He was? Seriously, while I believe Steve Dalkowski could probably hit 103 mph and probably threw slightly harder than Joel Zumaya, that's about the limit of the human arm without the tendons in your ulnar collateral ligament flying apart. Steve's arm structure was rather unique...his left arm was a lot like Satchel Paige's right arm. He threw with a max effort delivery, used an incredibly fast arm action, and take a look at a picture of Steve's stride and it's quite similar to that of Tim Lincecum in length. While Steve probably was among the fastest pitchers of all time, he probably seemed to throw even harder, as well. Could he hit 108? Depends on your definition of throwing 108 mph (see below). Could he do it all the time? Same answer as before. Was he ever timed at 108? No. Where did this myth come from? Read on.

When Dalkowski threw a fastball that was actually clocked, it registered at (according to conflicting reports) 99.8 mph or 93.8 mph. Considering Steve's sister claims the latter speed is correct, we'll go with that. However, keep in mind the following: Dalkowski, like Nolan Ryan, was timed at 60'6". Today's pitchers are timed at 45 feet from the mound. Dalkowski also lost a few mph throwing off flat ground and throwing over fifty pitches before he finally registered one single speed. It's likely Dalkowski could hit 100-103 mph at 60'6", which is 1-3 mph more than what Ryan threw. Now consider that a pitcher loses anywhere from 5-7 mph from 45 feet to 60 feet 6 inches (let's assume 5 mph, since that's the minimum). Add in 1-2 mph from that loss of throwing off flat ground, and all of a sudden Dalkowski is throwing 99-100 mph with that pitch on a modern gun taking readings at 45 feet. Further, all of a sudden, Ryan is throwing 105 at least and 107 at most (since speed guns have registered that much on one of Joel Zumaya's best pitches at 45 feet, it's no longer impossible).

But let's go back to answering our original question...how did this myth come about? Well, add 7 (max limit of pitch velocity loss from 45 feet to 60'6") and 1 mph (from having lost that throwing off the mound) to 99.8 (the incorrect measurement) and round up. What do you get? That's right...108 mph. Seems someone was guessing what that pitch would do on a modern radar gun and did it with the wrong info.

This is all about perspective. Could Steve Dalkowski throw 108 at 60'6" (which is basically what matters)? No, that's not humanly possible. Consider that ASMI is referring to 60'6" when asked what the limit of the human arm is (about 105 mph). But could he throw that at 45 feet? I have no doubt. Considering he actually caught Steve Dalkowski AND Nolan Ryan, I'll go with Andy Etchebarren as saying that Dalkowski was definitely faster than Ryan, but not to the point where they were incomparable. Then we have the inevitable question that follows...could Nolan Ryan throw that hard at 45 feet? Almost certainly. When we see Ryan finally recorded on a modern JUGS Radar gun at 45 feet, he's played over 15 years of his career. Both Dalkowski and Ryan in their primes likely threw as hard or a little harder than Joel Zumaya...whose fastest pitches likely top off around 99-100 mph at 60'6".

[songtitle]

Nolan Ryan is the fastest. See http://www.efastball.com/baseball/stats/fastest-pitch-speed-in-major-leagues/

1. Ryan - approx. 108.1 mph at 50ft
He measured 100.9 mph at 10 feet from the plate. Add 7.2 mph for the loss of 40 feet (avg 9mph loss from 50ft to plate). Approx 99 mph plate speed.

2. Joel Zumaya - 104.8 at 50 feet
93.7 plate speed

3. Mark Wohlers - 103 at 50 feet
No confirmation on this measurement. Which game? Date? Radar? etc.

[Dalkowski110]

That figure is a little hot. Like I said, a pitcher loses 5-7 mph on the way to home plate, not around 9-10 mph. Although, it's interesting to see Zumaya's plate speed. Bob Feller was also faster than Zumaya (Feller threw 99.7 mph at the plate) and Steve Dalkowski hit 93.8 (thus being 0.1 mph faster than Zumaya with no mound, having thrown continuously for fifteen minutes, and started a game the day before).

[songtitle]

The average speed drop to the plate for a 100mph pitch is 9 mph ranging from 7 to 11 mph.

See todays Top Gun report http://www.efastball.com/baseball/stats/daily/fastest-pitchers-in-the-major-leagues-day/

[songtitle]

Dalkowski is 4th at 102.5 (93.5 +9 mph for 50 ft)

However, Wohlers is suspect. Can't find any articles on details for this pitch.

Bob Feller may belong, but I can't find any sources for his Aberdeen measurement (magazine article, book, etc.) He has also stated he threw 107 mph.

[Dalkowski110]

"Bob Feller may belong, but I can't find any sources for his Aberdeen measurement (magazine article, book, etc.) "

Here ya go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPxpOapRuU

Also out of sheer curiosity, where did you get 93.5 mph from? Sports Illustrated incorrectly stated the measurement as 92.5 in 1970, but Pat Jordan, who wrote the article, wrote a correction for it in the next issue, stating the true speed of the pitch was 93.8 mph. Steve himself also said 93.8 mph was the reading (interview, July 13, 2008).

[NJMetfan4life]

"Steve Dalkowski threw at 108.something mph in a minor league game one time."

He was? Seriously, while I believe Steve Dalkowski could probably hit 103 mph and probably threw slightly harder than Joel Zumaya, that's about the limit of the human arm without the tendons in your ulnar collateral ligament flying apart. Steve's arm structure was rather unique...his left arm was a lot like Satchel Paige's right arm. He threw with a max effort delivery, used an incredibly fast arm action, and take a look at a picture of Steve's stride and it's quite similar to that of Tim Lincecum in length. While Steve probably was among the fastest pitchers of all time, he probably seemed to throw even harder, as well. Could he hit 108? Depends on your definition of throwing 108 mph (see below). Could he do it all the time? Same answer as before. Was he ever timed at 108? No. Where did this myth come from? Read on.

When Dalkowski threw a fastball that was actually clocked, it registered at (according to conflicting reports) 99.8 mph or 93.8 mph. Considering Steve's sister claims the latter speed is correct, we'll go with that. However, keep in mind the following: Dalkowski, like Nolan Ryan, was timed at 60'6". Today's pitchers are timed at 45 feet from the mound. Dalkowski also lost a few mph throwing off flat ground and throwing over fifty pitches before he finally registered one single speed. It's likely Dalkowski could hit 100-103 mph at 60'6", which is 1-3 mph more than what Ryan threw. Now consider that a pitcher loses anywhere from 5-7 mph from 45 feet to 60 feet 6 inches (let's assume 5 mph, since that's the minimum). Add in 1-2 mph from that loss of throwing off flat ground, and all of a sudden Dalkowski is throwing 99-100 mph with that pitch on a modern gun taking readings at 45 feet. Further, all of a sudden, Ryan is throwing 105 at least and 107 at most (since speed guns have registered that much on one of Joel Zumaya's best pitches at 45 feet, it's no longer impossible).

But let's go back to answering our original question...how did this myth come about? Well, add 7 (max limit of pitch velocity loss from 45 feet to 60'6") and 1 mph (from having lost that throwing off the mound) to 99.8 (the incorrect measurement) and round up. What do you get? That's right...108 mph. Seems someone was guessing what that pitch would do on a modern radar gun and did it with the wrong info.

This is all about perspective. Could Steve Dalkowski throw 108 at 60'6" (which is basically what matters)? No, that's not humanly possible. Consider that ASMI is referring to 60'6" when asked what the limit of the human arm is (about 105 mph). But could he throw that at 45 feet? I have no doubt. Considering he actually caught Steve Dalkowski AND Nolan Ryan, I'll go with Andy Etchebarren as saying that Dalkowski was definitely faster than Ryan, but not to the point where they were incomparable. Then we have the inevitable question that follows...could Nolan Ryan throw that hard at 45 feet? Almost certainly. When we see Ryan finally recorded on a modern JUGS Radar gun at 45 feet, he's played over 15 years of his career. Both Dalkowski and Ryan in their primes likely threw as hard or a little harder than Joel Zumaya...whose fastest pitches likely top off around 99-100 mph at 60'6".

I know this is delayed big time, but read the last sentence on my sig line.:lookitup

[Inge15]

I thought I saw Joel Zumaya hit 104mph before...

[r@cosun]

C'mon guys, everyone knows the fastest recorded pitch was 168 mph, thrown by the Mets' Sidd Finch.

[Dalkowski110]

"I know this is delayed big time, but read the last sentence on my sig line."

I read it, but.....? :confused: Seriously, I'm working on article for publication about Steve Dalkowski. After I write Al Ferrara (who got HIT by Steve Dalkowski's four-seamer...oww...), I'm writing the Department of the Army and the Aberdeen Proving Ground Museum for records of the chronograph tests that they did with Steve. I'm wondering...they supposedly recorded Bob Feller on the same device and got him at the additional distances of 45 feet and as he released the ball. Could they have recorded Steve at the all-important 45 foot mark, too?

[NJMetfan4life]

I ment the "Big words and blocks of text scare me" part. But for you, I read it. It makes sense to me.

[Dalkowski110]

"I ment the 'Big words and blocks of text scare me' part."

But...why is that? Do you just not want to read anything here? Is it really that hard?

[songtitle]

"Bob Feller may belong, but I can't find any sources for his Aberdeen measurement (magazine article, book, etc.) "

Here ya go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPxpOapRuU

Also out of sheer curiosity, where did you get 93.5 mph from? Sports Illustrated incorrectly stated the measurement as 92.5 in 1970, but Pat Jordan, who wrote the article, wrote a correction for it in the next issue, stating the true speed of the pitch was 93.8 mph. Steve himself also said 93.8 mph was the reading (interview, July 13, 2008).

Thanks for the youtube link. That puts Feller at 107.6 mph FFE.

Everything I have read at baseball-almanac, hardballtimes and wikipedia says Dalkowski was recorded at 93.5 mph. Can you tell me the SI article date or other source for the 93.8 number?

Thanks for your help.

[songtitle]

I discovered reports that Mark Wohlers threw a 103 mph pitch during a March 1995 Spring Training Game against the Marlins in Joe Robbie Stadium.
Does anyone have an exact date for this? Or an article or a link?
Thanks.

[songtitle]

The fastest pitcher this week was Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez at 100.4 mph.:eek:

[NJMetfan4life]

"I ment the 'Big words and blocks of text scare me' part."

But...why is that? Do you just not want to read anything here? Is it really that hard?

No. I just like to shut down my brain for the summer. Right now it's on half, I can do that without going into a coma or passingout/dieing.

[Dalkowski110]

"Can you tell me the SI article date or other source for the 93.8 number?"

Jordan's correction was where I got. I also asked Steve Dalkowski, who said it went 93.8 mph. I'm not sure when Jordan issued the correction, but he MIGHT have corrected it in his book The Suitors of Spring, which contained the SI article reprinted.