Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Switch-pitching

Tommy Salemy is not alone in his ability to throw a baseball with both arms. Below are some players who have thrown with right-handed and left-handed in games during the past 118 years:

TONY MULLANE: On July 18, 1882, pitching for the Louisville Colonels, Mullane became the first professional to throw with both arms during a game. His trademark was to stand on the mound facing the batter without a glove and both hands on the ball before deciding which arm to throw with.

LARRY CORCORAN: On June 16, 1884, the Cubs were in desperate need of pitching so Corcoran, who pitched three no-hitters in four years, came in and threw four innings with both arms. He still holds the record for the longest ambidextrous pitching stint.

PAUL RICHARDS: Richards was not a pitcher during his major-league career and he is better known as a manager with the White Sox and Orioles, but he has his own ambidextrous story. While in high school in Waxahachie, Texas, he was featured in Ripley's Believe It Or Not for winning a doubleheader in which he pitched right-handed to right-handed batters and left-handed to left-handed batters.

GREG HARRIS: Harris is the only player since the turn of the century to throw with both hands during a major-league game. On September 25, 1995, Harris pitched for the Montreal Expos, who were 24 1/2 games out of first place in the National League East, against the Cincinnati Reds. After his first lefty pitch sailed to the backstop, Harris worked a scoreless ninth inning. He faced four batters (two from each side of the mound), allowing a walk and recording three groundouts. It was the next-to-last appearance in the majors for Harris who retired after the season.

ETC.: Cal McLish, Ed Head, Dave Ferris, Tug McGraw and Jeff Schwarz all threw with both hands on the sidelines during major-league games but never appeared on a mound to attempt it during the game.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright