I swear some time back I heard a phrase (law, principle, theory whatever) regarding people that contort and twist trying to influence a thrown bowling ball. Anyone know what I’m thinking of.
I’ve heard it called “body english”.
I saw this the other day in a whimsical article (probably on SI.com). It was referred to as carltonfisking. 
I believe we’re called “hopeless optimists”. And yes, I’m one of them. 
(And as with a slice in golf, you can talk to a bowling ball but it doesn’t listen.)
I can picture Fisk doing it in games, but it was given an official sounding name. Kind of like Murphy’s Law not actually being a law of anything. Come to think of it, with my utter lack of time perspective*, it could have even been a Snigglet.
*For me there’s up to 2 weeks ago, and longer than 2 weeks. For instance, one thing may have happened 5 years ago and another 10 years ago but in my mind they may as well have happened the same afternoon. It’s why I can never remember when a player was drafted or how long he’s been around. Wonder if there’s a name for that.
Contorting, twisting, etc. to (supposedly) influence the path of an already released object? That’s body english, as engineer stated.
Ideomotor effect?
Not quite the same thing, but perhaps related.
I have Jedi powers. But unfortunately they all emanate from my ass. So I HAVE to do that body twisty thing to control the ball.
Yep. “Body English” is the term for exactly what the OP is describing–at least the contorting to influence a thrown ball part.