On September 20, sporting a 2-10 won-lost record, he got his first start against the New York Yankees, who had already clinched the American League pennant. The opposing pitcher was Don Larsen, who two years earlier had thrown a perfect game in the World Series. On this drizzly afternoon, Hoyt Wilhelm fashioned his own gem, striking out eight and throwing the only no-hitter of his career against the soon-to-be World Series champs. The next time the Yankees were no-hit was on June 11, 2003 by six pitchers of the Houston Astros. (Wikipedia)
The knuckleball is baseball's joker, and Hoyt Wilhelm was a master at throwing it. Having no spin upon leaving the pitcher's hand, it is captured by the micro wind currents between the mound and homeplate. Inertia carries it forward, but its moment by moment position can rarely be judged as it dances toward the batter. It looks so fat and slow, but it can rise or drop steeply in a fraction of a second.
The greatest hitters in the game swing at it and miss it by two feet. Sometimes they actually fall down from the awkwardness of trying to make contact. Catchers use special gloves nearly a half-size larger than normal, and still have a hard time catching it. If you're patient, 80% of the time it will wind up outside the strike zone. If you're impatient, you can wind up striking out. Hitters like to hit, they're impatient, and knuckleballers make careers on that.
Biden is going up against a woman whose answers are going to be hard to position. They will be designed to make Biden swing at them. Unwittingly, Sarah Palin will be throwing knuckleballs. She will be coached to give short, clipped, simple, patriotic soundbites that no one, prima facie, could disagree with. Her handlers will prohibit her from engaging in what we think of debate. There will be no improvisation. Her answers are going to just hang there and float in the air.
It will be tempting for Biden to take a hack at them. He must resist. To Gwen Ifill's frustration, the debate will stall. She may try a Jim Lehreresque exhortation to debate. Biden must resist. He should just answer the lead question again or wait for the next question to him directly. Don't try to hit Palin's knuckleballs. If he's patient, most will land outside the strike zone.