In 2012, R. A. Dickey, a knuckleball pitcher, captured the attention of baseball fans when he won the Cy Young Award. This success inspired my sons to learn the art of the knuckleball in our backyard. Known for its unpredictable trajectory, this pitch has a history of shaping the careers of unexpected players, some reaching the Hall of Fame. With this inspiration, I set out to explore how far my children could pursue this dream. Along the way, I learned that not only young enthusiasts held such aspirations, but also two influential businessmen.
My new book, “School of Hard Knucks: My Three Sons and Baseball’s Wildest Pitch,” delves into this journey. It highlights two distinct stories. One involves Howard Rich, a Brooklyn real estate investor known for founding Americans for Limited Government. Howard, with season tickets to the Mets, observed Dickey’s confounding knuckleball mystify batters during the 2012 season.
“If the knuckleball’s so hard to hit,” Rich’s wife Andrea questioned, “why does only one pitcher throw it in the major leagues?”
Rich considered this a market gap. He decided to address it by creating the International Knuckleball Academy (IKA), hiring minor league players Chris Nowlin and Zach Staniewicz to operate it.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, a 36-year-old video game mogul, Min Hur, harbored dreams of playing professional baseball. Hur believed that mastering the knuckleball could provide him with another opportunity. He converted his office rooftop in Seoul into a training facility with modern pitch-tracking setups. He also sought guidance from Phil Niekro, a legendary knuckleballer, who mentored him extensively.
Hur worked with Charlie Hough, another knuckleball legend. In 2013, backed by a networked agent, Hur tried out for major league teams like the Rangers, Mariners, and Diamondbacks, but lacked success in joining them. However, the Rockland Boulders, an independent minor league team in upstate New York, eventually gave Hur a chance.
During his tryouts, Hur commuted from Manhattan daily with his chauffeur and translator. Once he joined the team, Hur prioritized his baseball aspirations over his business interests. His debut with the Boulders was promoted as “Min-Sanity,” likening it to the popular “Lin-Sanity” phenomenon surrounding NBA’s Jeremy Lin.
The crowd, comprising New York’s Korean community and Hur’s family from Seoul, witnessed him pitch a challenging game with mixed results. Upon hearing of this, Rich considered collaborating with Hur and reached out to Nowlin.
Rich’s vision for the IKA included collaborating with Hur. They met, but language barriers limited fruitful discussions. Nonetheless, Rich went ahead with the academy vision, renting the Dodgertown complex. However, Staniewicz expressed concerns about market interest.
“It’s hard to find people willing to learn, let alone pay to learn the knuckleball,” he commented.
Rich devised a financing model, offering free attendance with a contractual agreement to receive a portion of any earnings if the students reached the majors. Despite these efforts, the academy closed without enrolling a single student.
Hur’s passion remains steadfast. I recently met him in Lower Manhattan, where he was training with knuckleball coach Joe Gannon. At 50, Hur still pursues his dream, coming off a stint with the Melbourne Aces.
“I’m better than ever,” Hur confidently remarked.
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