The Baseball 100: No. 83, Phil Niekro - The Athletic Support provided by Market New York through I LOVE NY/ New York States Division of Tourism as a part of the Regional Economic Development Council awards. Niekro and his brother Joe, another knuckleballer, hold the record for the most victories by a brother combination with 539. In this March 29, 2007, photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Phil Niekro's playing days ended in 1987, but he would don a uniform one more time, as manager of the women's barnstorming Colorado Silver Bullets (1994-97). However, the Cardinals scored two late runs after Niekro left the game and would eventually sweep the series. Or write about sports? As of 2021, four primary knuckleball pitchers are in the Baseball Hall of Fame today. (A common phrase for hitting a knuckleball is "if it's low, let it go; if it's high, let it fly"; meaning that a batter should attempt to hit a knuckleball only if it crosses the plate high in the strike zone due to lack of break.) Dedicated daily to memorializing notable personalities. None of them succeeded to the extent . Nancy and I are deeply saddened by the news today of the passing of Phil Niekro. The Braves went to the playoffs, where Niekro was 01 with four earned runs allowed in an eight-inning appearance against the New York Mets. A reporter once noted that Phil is 48 but you'd never know it. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters for more than two decades, mostly with the Atlanta Braves, has died after a long fight with cancer, the team announced Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Learnings from Baseball Knuckleballer Phil Niekro "I was a one-pitch pitcher.". Phil Niekro weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. By the end of 1987, his final season, Niekro ranked 10th among major leaguers in number of seasons played. He amassed 121 victories after he turned 40 -- a major league record -- and pitched until he was 48. Sometimes young players will throw the knuckleball with their knuckles flat against the ball, giving it less spin but also making it difficult to throw any significant distance. Sterft de knuckleball langzaam uit? - linkedin.com "He simply destroys your timing with that knuckleball," said Hall of Famer Ernie Banks. (Brad Mangin/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Using his trademark knuckleball to baffle hitters, Phil Niekro was named to five All-Star Games. Phil Niekro, Hall of Fame knuckleballer, dead at 81 - New York Daily News "We are heartbroken on the passing of our treasured friend, Phil Niekro," the Braves said in a statement. Phil Niekro fashioned a long, successful sports career by mastering the most confounding pitch in the history of baseballthe knuckleball. It hit me in the shinguard, bounced out to Clete Boyer at third base and he threw out the runner at first. Rookie Status: How many seasons did Phil Niekro play? Also featured are the stories of the best knuckleball catchers, from Bob Uecker and Doug Mirabelli to Rick Ferrell and Paul Richards. April 15, 1964 Biographical Information [] "It actually giggles at you as it goes by." - Rick Monday, discussing Niekro's famous knuckleball Phil Niekro was, by several years, the last man born in the 1930s to be playing Major League Baseball. [10] Another reason for the difficulty of the knuckleball is due to the network effect. He looks much older. Toad Ramsey, a pitcher from 1885 to 1890, is credited in some later sources with being the first knuckleballer, apparently based primarily on accounts of how he gripped the ball; however, based on more contemporary descriptions of his pitch as an "immense drop ball", it may be that his pitch was a form of knuckle curve. Niekro, born in Blaine, Ohio, on April 1, 1939, was the proud scion of a family dynasty of sorts. In-person Lessons at the Knuckleball Academy, Knuckleball Grip, Part 3: Depth of the Baseball. [1] Niekro's playoff loss came against Seaver. When was Phil Niekro born? . [1], In 1982, at the age of 43, Niekro led the Braves with a 174 season while winning his fourth Gold Glove Award and appearing in his fourth All-Star game. ASSOCIATED . They hold the record for most combined wins by siblings in a career with 539. In 1979, the 40-year-old Niekro led the league in both wins (21) and losses (20). R. A. Dickey argues that, "for most managers, it takes a special manager to be able to really trust it the bad and the good of it. Hall Of Famer Phil Niekro, Known For His Knuckleball, Dies At 81 - NPR.org Phil, trying for a fifth time to win No. [18], When originally developed, the knuckleball was used by a number of pitchers as simply one pitch in their repertoire, usually as part of changing speeds from their fastball. [14] Niekro struck Burroughs out to end the game. Phil Niekro pitched a no . The fluttering knuckler danced throughout the summers in the Atlanta heat, and by his late 30s Niekro became an absolute workhorse averaging 335 innings a season from 1977 through 1979 and becoming the last pitcher to post back-to-back seasons of at least 300 innings pitched. He was 81. I don't think of his Hall of Fame plaque. And traditionally, if you look at Tim Wakefield, Joe and Phil Niekro, Tom Candiotti, Wilbur Wood, Hoyt Wilhelm and all the guys that threw it, through their success they had guys who really believed in what it could do long-term and committed to giving them the ball every fifth day to do it. WILBUR'S KNUCKLER IS ALIVE AND SWELL - Sports Illustrated But that was nothing new. Niekro started Game One of the subsequent 1982 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals and pitched well, but the game was called on account of rain just before it became official. Youve made you development 50% more difficult. Check out some of his b. Do you have a sports website? He was the only player elected that year; Tony Prez and Don Sutton were among the notable eligible players who were not elected that year. Second stint with the Atlanta Braves (1987), New York Yankees Opening Day starting pitchers, List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders, List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders, List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders, List of Major League Baseball single-inning strikeout leaders, "20-Game Loser: Profiles of the 20-Loss Seasons", "Phil Niekro has never forgotten the Ohio Valley", "Phil Niekro Goes Home to Visit His Ailing Father", "Phil League Minor League Statistics and History", "Harris planning dual role for Phil Niekro", "Phil Niekro's illustrious career by the numbers", "Phil Niekro Signs 2-Year Yankee Pact (Published 1984)", "Road to 300: with Roger Clemens becoming the 21st pitcher to win 300 big league games, here are the stories of seven others who reached the same milestone", "Niekro Gets 300th Win a Shutout of Blue Jays", "YANKEES TRADED BAYLOR AND RELEASE PHIL NIEKRO", "Hall of Famer knuckleballer Phil Niekro dies at 81 | Sports | morningjournal.com", "SPORTS PEOPLE; Phil Niekro to Braves (Published 1987)", "Phil Niekro, who rode his knuckleball to the Hall of Fame, dies at 81", "No Spin Zone: Knuckleball master Phil Niekro to speak at Field of Dreams Banquet", "FresnoBee.com: Fresno Grizzlies: Niekro gets shot to pitch", "A Roster of MLB All-Stars Helped Raise Awareness for Prostate Cancer", "Legendary Braves pitcher Phil Niekro dies at age of 81", "Hall of Fame knuckleballer Niekro dead at 81", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phil_Niekro&oldid=1138834006, Major League Baseball players with retired numbers, Louisville Colonels (minor league) players, American expatriate baseball players in Canada, Deaths from cancer in Georgia (U.S. state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, September 27,1987,for theAtlanta Braves, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 22:10. 300, entered the bottom of the ninth having shut out the Jays on curveballs, slip pitches, fastballs and screwballs -- everything but a knuckleball. His longevity is attributed to his knuckleball, which is a difficult pitch to master but is easy on the arm and often baffles hitters due to its unpredictable trajectory. Niekro's 318 career victories are the most by a knuckleballer and rank 16th on MLB's all-time wins list. Knuckleball pitchers can throw more innings than other pitchers, and, requiring less time to recover after pitching, can pitch more frequently. [50], This article is about the baseball pitch. "[24] Catcher Bob Uecker was also frustrated by the pitch at times, saying, "Niekro struck out a hitter once and I never touched the ball. He played most of his many seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves alongside brief stops with the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Cleveland. Phil Niekro, Hall of Fame knuckleballer, dies of cancer at 81 A trip to Cooperstown has something for baseball fans and everyone else. FILE - In this March 29, 2007, file photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. "Very few pitchers make a living throwing the knuckleball," says Sain, "simply because they can't make it work. He would teach his sons, Phil Jr. and Joe, the pitch when they were youngsters. Get breaking news alerts& today's headlines inyour inbox. We'll miss you, Knucksie. December 27, 2020 On August 26, the first time Victor Martinez caught Wakefield, he used a first baseman's glove, instead of a regular catcher's mitt. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that . He was kind, a gentleman, family man, master of his trade and teamate 84-85. After the season, the Braves released him.[11]. On August 5, 1973, Niekro threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres, the first for the Braves since moving to Atlanta. In addition, Phil played American Legion Baseball. Exceeded rookie limits during 1965 season, View Player Bio Chris Haft. When Phil Niekro won his 300th game, Joe was at his side, and it was arguably the most unique victory of the elder brother's career. Phil Niekro, Baseball Hall of Fame knuckleballer, dies at 81 - USA TODAY Phil Niekro played for 5 teams; the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays. KNUCKSIE HASN'T LOST HIS GRIP - Sports Illustrated