in little league we were never allowed to throw curves - I remember being envious of the dudes in the world series.
I got kicked out of... shit, I don't even know how many games - at least 10 - all because I could throw 80mph in 8th grade (and never got any better - oh well), but when I threw as hard as I could, the ball moved all over the place.
the ump would then walk up to the mound and say "you know you have to cut that out" then the coach would walk up and defend that I really had no idea what I was doing and wasn't intentionally throwing curves.
if I hadn't been thrown out all of the time, I think I would have had more no hitters - hee hee, big time little league stud. I was 5'11" in 8th grade and probably 120lbs. I always loved Ramon Martinez b/c he made me think I had a shot.
I had 2 no hitters, one legit (the second one) and the other was funny - my first two pitches went 1) over the backstop and hit the stand where they sold hot dogs (LOUD!!) and then pitch 2) behind the batter and into the other teams dugout... straight out of Major League (used to love that movie, could identify with Sheen... except I was never cool).
The coach saw I was wild and told his team not to swing at any of my pitches. I then proceeded to calm down and struck out every batter I faced.
ahhh, good old little league (and "babe ruth" later once I moved).
I went several years to a baseball camp at a local university (JMU) and they would always move me up to play with the older kids (high school) and then I'd get my ass kicked b/c I really couldn't hit for shit (of all things, I could hit the curve really well, but couldn't hit a fast ball EVER - so they of course just always fed me curves - also I was so scrawny that swinging the bat was tough). it was hilarious to see the pitching coaches get all excited about how hard I could throw (broke my dad's thumb that year when he was catching for me), and then they'd see I really couldn't hit for shit and they'd then work with me to get me to hit.... and I just couldn't.
then I discovered I was way better at running than I was at hitting and never went back to baseball - just as well, I hated the guys on the team in high school.
last I checked, I can only throw in the high 60's now. I suppose I could get back into it - I used to throw for hours everyday after school - anyone that would catch for me would do - sometimes just throw at an imaginary strike zone - but I only owned 3 baseballs that I had stolen from the camp and it was a pain in the ass to always walk off the mound to the backstop.
and I once threw a guy out at the plate from the wall (jumped up and reached over the fence, caught the ball to prevent a home run, and then threw out the guy that tagged up at third - I thought myself quite the stud). I only played in one all star game b/c I was good on the field, and then had the worst batting average in the league.
but I've posted stats on what I used to be able to throw on here before and nobody belives me, so I suppose maybe this will get me shit too