What's the hardest (MPH) you have seen from an MLB pitcher?

[JudgeWapner]

At least I thought he did. Can't find confirmation.

 

[Journeyman]

remember the picture with Bob Feller

He was thowing along side a guy on a motorcycle, I can't find it.

 

[Journeyman]

By the way, just how fast was Feller's legendary fastball? Well, the Air Force clocked its speed using an early radar gun in 1946 and decided that his best pitch of the day topped out at 109 mph. Take that as you will, but no pitcher since has been clocked higher than 103 mph

 

[TheRightWing]

I swear the gun had to be off but last week some Tiger's reliever threw 102,next pitch was 103??

Oh my bad! Same pitcher (Zumaya) tonight hit 100,103!


Gun works fine I guess...

 

[gopherbob]

2 years ago, the twins had a "walter johnson bobblehead day", they also had a lot of walter johnson memorabilia, at one of the exhibits, a man explained how they could determine the speed of his pitches by breaking down movies of his pitches frame by frame. they determined he could pitch at 102-103 mph.

 

[SkinsRaj28]

I would've loved to see what Walter Johnson and Smokey Joe Wood could register on the gun. Johnson actually said that he'd never seen someone who threw harder than Wood, himself included.

 

[scott]

Sid Finch 140mph

 

[Bighazer]

103 :missingte by a 12 yr old in Rookie of the year!! LOL

 

[CHRISG612]

Here is something interesting to look at

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/fastest-pitcher-in-baseball.shtml

Scroll to the bottom and look at the fastest throws on ESPN game of the week or whatever. They got Mark Wohlers as the fastest throwing 103...

 

[bolivar]

Well I'm gonna date myself....Have seen lots of hard throwers...Saw Bob Feller in his prime and I'm here to tell you that no one and I mean no one could get the ball up there as quick as he could. I saw Nolan Ryan pitch a number of times and He is one of my favorite people in all respects..But truly Feller was one of a kind. So in my humble but accurate 0pinion he was and is the fastest.

 

[oldmanTED]

Nolan Ryan

 

[Woody0]

Hardest is a misnomer, I don't know why its in common use. In tennis they always use fastest.

Maybe its because some pitchers aim at the body sometimes?

 

[jeckll]

Kyle Farnsworth and Mark Wholers at the Braves games, both around 101, I believe I recall Wholers at 102.

 

[chiefssth]

Sid Finch 140mph

:monsters-

 

[scott]

I think it was Sports Illustrated a while back that did a big spoof on Sid Finch. Big story and spread on this guy Sid Finch who threw 140mph. Lots and I mean lots of people bought into it.

 

[whalewager]

Dizzy Dean could throw some fn heat

 

[whalewager]

he could throw that pill brotha

 

[The_Man]

baseball-almanac.com

<TABLE border=1><TBODY><TR><TD>Pitcher </TD><TD>Speed </TD><TD>Date </TD><TD>Location </TD></TR><TR><TD>Mark Wohlers</TD><TD>103.0 </TD><TD>1995</TD><TD>Spring training</TD></TR><TR><TD>Armando Benitez</TD><TD>102.0 </TD><TD>05-24-2002</TD><TD>Shea Stadium</TD></TR><TR><TD>Bobby Jenks</TD><TD>102.0 </TD><TD>08-27-05</TD><TD>Safeco Field</TD></TR><TR><TD>Randy Johnson</TD><TD>102.0 </TD><TD>07-09-04</TD><TD>Pacific Bell Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>Robb Nen</TD><TD>102.0 </TD><TD>10-23-97</TD><TD>Jacobs Field</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD>A.J. Burnett</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>05-31-05</TD><TD>PNC Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>Rob Dibble</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>06-08-92</TD><TD>Candlestick Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kyle Farnsworth</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>05-26-04</TD><TD>Minute Maid Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>Eric Gagne</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>04-16-04</TD><TD>Pacific Bell Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jose Mesa</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>05-01-93</TD><TD>Cleveland Stadium</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD>Guillermo Mota</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>07-24-02</TD><TD>Qualcomm </TD></TR><TR><TD>Justin Verlander</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>05-10-06</TD><TD>Camden Yards</TD></TR><TR><TD>Billy Wagner</TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>06-11-03</TD><TD>Yankee Stadium</TD></TR><TR><TD>Joel Zumaya </TD><TD>101.0 </TD><TD>06-02-06 </TD><TD>Comerica Park </TD></TR><TR><TD>Nolan Ryan</TD><TD>100.9 </TD><TD>08-20-74</TD><TD>Anaheim Stadium</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD>Josh Beckett</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>10-12-03</TD><TD>Pro Player Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>Daniel Cabrera</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>05-09-05</TD><TD>Camden Yards</TD></TR><TR><TD>Roger Clemens</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>10-10-01</TD><TD>Yankee Stadium</TD></TR><TR><TD>Bartolo Colon</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>10-06-99</TD><TD>Jacobs Field</TD></TR><TR><TD>Francisco Cordero</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>07-07-04</TD><TD>Jacobs Field</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD>Rich Harden</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>05-27-05</TD><TD>McAfee Stadium</TD></TR><TR><TD>Jorge Julio</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>09-16-04</TD><TD>Skydome</TD></TR><TR><TD>J.R. Richard</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>05-25-76</TD><TD>Candlestick Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>C.C. Sabathia</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>06-28-02</TD><TD>Jacobs Field</TD></TR><TR><TD>Ben Sheets</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>07-10-04</TD><TD>Miller Park</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD>Derrick Turnbow</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>05-27-05</TD><TD>Miller Park</TD></TR><TR><TD>Kerry Wood</TD><TD>100.0 </TD><TD>08-10-05</TD><TD>Wrigley Field</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>