Charles H. "Pretzels" Getzien (surname sometimes spelled as Getzein; February 14, 1864 – June 19, 1932) was a German-born American professional baseball pitcher.

"[5][8] Sporting Life described Getzien's unusual delivery as follows: "In delivering his 'pretzels' 'Getz' faces third base with one foot in either corner of the lower end of the box.

Then, straightening up quickly, he slides the left foot forward with a characteristic little skip, and, bringing his arm around with a swift overhand swing, drives the ball in at a lively pace.

He went into the box to-day and pitched one of his finest, his curves circling around in the form of the delicious pastry from which Getz takes his sobriquet.

The forces that act upon a ball pitched by Getzein are not different from those which operate upon a projectile thrown from any other source, and the results must be the same, and governed by the same laws.

"[10]The Scientific American magazine responded in July 1886 by publishing an article written by Henry Chadwick (accompanied by several diagrams, two of which are reproduced above) explaining the physics behind the curve ball pitch.

[3] In 1882, Getzien made his professional baseball debut with the Grand Rapids, Michigan, team in the Northwestern League.

[5][7] According to an account published in The Sporting News, he "pitched his puzzling twisters and curves in the Northwestern League while that organization was in existence.

"[5] During the 1884 season, Getzien started and completed 30 games, and threw 11 shutouts, for Grand Rapids, compiling a 27–4 win–loss record with a 0.52 earned run average (ERA).

Jack Chapman, manager of the Detroit Wolverines, seized the opportunity to sign five former Grand Rapids players, including "what is known as the 'G' battery -- Getzein and Gastfield.

"[13] The Detroit Free Press reported that Getzien "has been a formidable man to face in the Northwestern League, in one instance striking out sixteen batters.

It should contain further fact that of eighteen men at bat he struck out ten, and of the other eight but one hit the ball beyond the diamond – Purcell, in the first inning, a fly to Weidman.

[3] Getzien was not the Wolverines' leading pitcher in 1886, as teammate Lady Baldwin led the National League with 42 wins.

[20] In 1887, Getzien was the leading pitcher on a Detroit Wolverines team that won the National League pennant and then defeated the St. Louis Browns in the 1887 World Series.

[21] Getzien compiled a 29–13 record and a 3.73 ERA, leading the league in winning percentage (.690) but also in home runs allowed (24).

[3] On October 17, 1887, Getzien pitched a no-hitter through the first eight innings in Game 10 of the World Series played before 10,000 spectators at the Polo Grounds in New York.

[3] However, Getzien lost his role as the team's leading pitcher, as Pete Conway compiled a 30–14 record and a 2.25 ERA for the 1888 Wolverines.

[24] After Getzien gave up 10 runs in an August 1888 game against Washington, the Detroit Free Press dubbed him the "Pulverized Pretzel.

When he delivered his famous drop, he was knocked out of the lot, and his in and out curves were as big as balloons to Ted Sullivan's men.

If the latter, and he repeated his performance against the Kansas Citys a few years ago, when he deliberately tossed the balls to the plate and permitted the Cowboys to make 13 runs in one inning, why no one here would mourn much if he was fined to the limit.

[3] While pitching for Detroit in 1887, Getzien was teamed up with catcher Charlie Ganzel, and the pair became known as the "Pretzel Battery" because of their shared German ethnicity.

In 1915, Baseball Magazine reported that managers were not allowed to freely pull the starting pitcher from a game in the bygone era.

It cited an incident involving Getzien to illustrate the old practice:"The Nationals got onto Getzein in the fourth inning and batted him all over the field.

Baker, captaining the home club, said he would call a doctor and have him examine Getzein, and if the latter was really sick he would probably allow the change to be made.