Why do pitchers throw overhand in baseball but underhand in softball?
Dear Straight Dope: My barber asked me this: why is a softball pitched underhand and a baseball overhand? I know it’s in the rules, but why? — Zach P. Brace yourself, Zach: there’s no rule that requires a baseball pitcher to deliver the ball overhand. There have been several sidearm pitchers, and a couple of submarine (underhand) throwers, in the major leagues, with varying degrees of success. Juan Marichal was known for throwing overhand, underhand, and sidearm, and had six 20-win seasons and a career ERA of 2.89. Dan Quisenberry was a sidearmer whose delivery became more submarine later in his career, after working with Pirates submariner Kent Tekulve. Quiz finished his career with 244 saves out of 674 relief appearances, and an ERA of 2.55. In 1998, Rolando Arrojo pitched his rookie season for the Devil Rays (14-12 in 1998, with a 3.56 ERA), although, like Marichal, he varies his delivery among overhand, sidearm, and submarine, giving the illusion that he has a dozen or so pitches i
