[whitedog57]

I agree with the physics part. But I used to catch and would see what appears to be motion. The professor claims it is normal versus peripheral vision causing the problem. Maybe it makes it worse, but a catcher still observes a “rising fastball.”

I always thought it was that the pitcher is coming down off the mound, so the straight line to the glove would be a downward line. I assumed it was an illusion of rising since it was just that the downward line wasn’t as downward as I thought.

[Osage Orange]

I used to catch too.

Caught a lot of fast pitch softball in my younger years....Most surely I caught guy's that threw rise balls.

No doubt in my mind.....

I suppose they will tell us....ping pong balls don't curve, and frisbee's don't either.

[bruinbirdman]

"I agree with the physics part. But I used to catch and would see what appears to be motion. The professor claims it is normal versus peripheral vision causing the problem. Maybe it makes it worse, but a catcher still observes a “rising fastball.”"

The real question is, "Does a knuckleball (no rotation) 'break'?"

yitbos