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The Wilhelm grip reminds me that there may not be a single uniform knuckleball grip. (Note the AP story indicates Wilhelm was inspired to try the pitch after watching Dutch Leonard.) Some pitchers have used three or even four fingertips beneath the seam to throw it. (Jim Bouton showed his knuckleball grip on the cover of Ball Four; Bouton used three fingers and the inside of his pinkie on the side of the ball.) And, of course, Burt Hooton with his "knuckle curve" pitch held the ball in his knuckles with fingertips turned in. Don't know how the man threw that pitch without breaking his fingers!

I learned to throw a knuckleball growing up (Wilhelm, Phil Niekro, Eddie Fisher of the White Sox, Bob Purkey - who included a knuckleball in his repertoire of so-so fastball, snappy curve, and slithering slider - and Hal Woodeshick were role models for us guys who couldn't throw too hard or fast); my grip was four fingertips lined up together and slightly slanted, under the seam where the seam curved outward from my fingertips, and instead of throwing with the fingertips up top as I released mine would be held sideways to push the ball. Got decent movement on it when I threw it right, which wasn't, alas, that often...