forkball

American  

[fawrk-bawl] / ˈfɔrkˌbɔl /

Or fork ball

noun

Baseball.

1. a pitch thrown with the ball held deeply between the index and middle fingers, so that those fingers resemble a two-tined fork, causing the ball to dip sharply as it nears home plate.

   Toward the end of his career, he developed a wicked forkball.

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Etymology

Origin of forkball

First recorded in 1915–20; fork + ball ¹

Example Sentences

What felt like wishful thinking has become an actual roadmap to victory, with Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen taking down key outs late in the game before giving way to Sasaki, the converted starter with a 100-mph fastball and vanishing forkball.

From Los Angeles Times

With a forkball that looked as if it was dropping perpendicular to the ground, he struck out the first two batters he faced.

From Los Angeles Times

He will have to learn to throw something other than a fastball, forkball and slider in the major leagues.

From Los Angeles Times

Alongside the baseball goals, like increasing the “perfect the forkball” or “strengthen the body core” are the qualities that Kanno has been relearning in Oshu: “sensitivity,” “caring,” becoming someone worthy of trust and love.

From Los Angeles Times

With a crowd of 36,236 sometimes standing and roaring in anticipation, the rookie right-hander got six strikeouts with his diving, disappearing “ghost forkball” and set a career high for innings in his 10th major league start.

From Washington Times