<P> Dalkowski's greatest legacy may be the number of anecdotes (some more believable than others) surrounding his pitching ability . He was said to have thrown a pitch that tore off part of a batter's ear . Some observers believed that this incident made Dalkowski even more nervous and contributed further to his wildness . Another story says that in 1960 at Stockton, California, he threw a pitch that broke umpire Doug Harvey's mask in three places, knocking him 18 feet (5 m) back and sending him to a hospital for three days with a concussion . Dalkowski once won a $5 bet with teammate Herm Starrette who said that he could not throw a baseball through a wall . Dalkowski warmed up and then moved 15 feet (5 m) away from the wooden outfield fence . His first pitch went right through the boards . On another bet, Dalkowski threw a ball over a fence 440 feet (134 m) away . </P> <P> The only recorded evidence of his pitching speed stems from 1958, when Dalkowski was sent by the Orioles to Aberdeen Proving Ground, a military installation . Here, using a radar machine, he was clocked at 93.5 miles per hour (150.5 km / h), a fast but not outstanding speed for a professional pitcher . However, several factors worked against Dalkowski: he had pitched a game the day before, he was throwing from a flat surface instead of from a pitcher's mound, and he had to throw pitches for 40 minutes at a small target before the machine could capture an accurate measurement . Further, the device measured speed from a few feet away from the plate, instead of 10 feet from release as in modern times . This cost Dalkowski approximately 9 MPH, not even considering the other factors . </P> <P> According to the Guinness Book of Records, the current record holder for fastest pitch is Nolan Ryan, with a pitch clocked at 100.9 mph (162.4 km / h) in 1974, though the record has not been updated in many years and several pitchers have recorded faster pitches since then . That seems to be because Ryan's speed was recorded 10' from the plate, unlike 10' from release as today, costing him up to 10 MPH . http://www.efastball.com/baseball/stats/fastest-pitch-speed-in-major-leagues/ Earl Weaver, who had years of exposure to both pitchers, said, "(Dalkowski) threw a lot faster than Ryan ." The hardest thrower in baseball currently is recognized as Aroldis Chapman, who has been clocked with the fastest pitch on record at 105.1 mph (169 km / h). </P> <P> Scientists contend that the theoretical maximum speed that a pitcher can throw is slightly above 100 mph (161 km / h). Beyond that the pitcher would cause himself a serious injury . There is no doubt that a pitcher who can throw at 100 mph+ is rare, with only a small handful of pitchers every generation being capable of this feat . </P>

Who is the hardest throwing pitcher in baseball