<Li> Because a left - handed pitcher faces first base when he is in position to throw to the batter, whereas a right - handed pitcher has his back to first base, a left - handed pitcher has an advantage when attempting to pickoff baserunners at first base . </Li> <Li> Defensively in baseball, left - handedness is considered an advantage for first basemen because they are better suited to fielding balls hit in the gap between first and second base, and because they do not have to pivot their body around before throwing the ball to another infielder . For the same reason, the other infielder's positions are seen as being advantageous to right - handed throwers . Historically, there have been few left - handed catchers because of the perceived disadvantage a left - handed catcher would have in making the throw to third base, especially with a right - handed hitter at the plate . A left - handed catcher would have a potentially more dangerous time tagging out a baserunner trying to score . With the ball in the glove on the right hand, a left - handed catcher would have to turn his body to the left to tag a runner . In doing so, he can lose the opportunity to brace himself for an impending collision . On the other hand, the Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers states: </Li> <P> One advantage is a left - handed catcher's ability to frame a right - handed pitcher's breaking balls . A right - handed catcher catches a right - hander's breaking ball across his body, with his glove moving out of the strike zone . A left - handed catcher would be able to catch the pitch moving into the strike zone and create a better target for the umpire . </P> <Ul> <Li> In four wall handball, typical strategy is to play along the left wall forcing the opponent to use their left hand to counter the attack and playing into the strength of a left - handed competitor . </Li> <Li> In water polo the centre forward position has an advantage in turning to shoot on net when rotating the reverse direction as expected by the centre of the opposition defence and gain an improved position to score . </Li> <Li> Ice hockey typically uses a strategy in which a defence pairing includes one left - handed and one right - handed defender . A disproportionately large number of ice hockey players of all positions, 62 percent, shoot left, though this does not necessarily indicate left - handedness . </Li> <Li> In American football, the handedness of a quarterback affects blocking patterns on the offensive line . Tight ends, when only one is used, typically line up on the same side as the throwing hand of the quarterback, while the offensive tackle on the opposite hand, which protects the quarterback's "blind side," is typically the most valued member of the offensive line . </Li> </Ul>

Country with the highest percentage of left handers