"A surge of joy flooded over me that I shall never forget. I felt like shouting out that I had made a ball curve. I wanted to tell everybody — it was too good to keep to myself."

"Often cited as the inventor of the curveball, Candy Cummings' stellar pitching career bridged the eras of amateur and professional baseball. Following standout seasons with the amateur Star Club of Brooklyn, the slightly built Cummings pitched four seasons in the National Association and won 124 games, twice leading the league in shutouts, and once leading in innings pitched. He was the first major leaguer to start, complete and win both games of a doubleheader when he turned the trick on September 9, 1876." - National Baseball Hall of Fame