 Growing up in the 80s, it seemed like Dwight Gooden, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and other flamethrowers had their electric stuff every night. But what if I told you that the term actually originated in the early part of the 20th century? That it wasn't really used to describe a pitcher's throwing prowess, but rather traces its origins to one of the strangest events in Major League Baseball history. Heck, one of the strangest events in sports history.