Meaning of yellow hammer | Babel Free

Definitions

A curve ball, especially a breaking curve that is particularly difficult to hit.

Examples

“Watching the ballgame today someone broke off a real good curve and I said, "That was a real yellow hammer."”

“Williams, getting steady doses of Koufax's "yellow hammer," struck out looking at a curve, Sandy's fifth K.”

““Bastard curveball” is one of several names in baseball for a virtually unhittable curve that breaks so sharply it qualifies as yet another marvel of physics. Yakker. Bowel-locker. Yellow hammer. Take your pick.”

“"[…]I know my baseball, and this kid was a beast. His fastball was okay, a cutter in the low nineties, but it was his dirty deuce that was outright nasty.” DeBorn frowned. “Dirty deuce?” “You know—the dirty yellow hammer . . . the yakker. Public enemy number two. A breaking ball, Bert! This kid had a breaking ball that was like hitting a lead shot put[…]"”

CEFR level