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[2] Other accounts attribute the pitch's creation to Charles H. Druery, a pitcher in the Blue Ridge League. There will be a period when they will beat the daylights out of you. A knuckleball is thrown with normal arm action, but the wrist remains stiff until the baseball has completely left the hand. Perplexed catchers and managers wary of passed balls and wild pitches were reasons often cited for Niekro's extended stay in the Braves' minor league system. He attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and was a boyhood friend of Basketball Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek. Phil and Joe Niekro learned the pitch from their father, a Polish coal miner, and won a combined total of 539 games the most by two brothers in big league history. He always represented his sport extraordinarily well, and he will be deeply missed. Many thanks to him. 300, entered the bottom of the ninth having shut out the Jays on curveballs, slip pitches, fastballs and screwballs -- everything but a knuckleball. The Niekro brothers would face each other nine times in their career, with Joes team winning five. If one of the fingers puts more pressure on the ball than the other, the ball spins. Photo is at @Dana_Pump @David_Pump Foundation dinner with @STLWizard #RickeyHenderson pic.twitter.com/RccUiq0rJO, PHIL NIEKRO YOU WERE ALWAYS GOOD MAN WHENEVER WE SEE YOU AT THE MATCHES IN THE ATLANTA. The symbol of both the success and longevity of Niekro's career was the knuckleball, that whimsical floater that baffles not only hitters and catchers but also the pitchers who never really know how the rotationless pitch will dance toward the plate. Phil Niekro, a pitcher who used his signature knuckleball to fool generations of hitters and craft a Hall of Fame career, died Saturday night . For many hitters, using a bat to try to get a hit off Phil Niekro was a farce. * Joe Niekro was a superb knuckleball pitcher himself; not quite as good as Phil but he did win 221 games and in 1979 came significantly closer to winning the Cy Young Award than Phil ever did (he . 1965 Topps Clay Carroll, Phil Niekro #461. Who throws the best knuckleball? His pitching coach? Niekro taught his nephew Lance Niekro to throw a knuckleball after Lance's unsuccessful stints as a power-hitting first base prospect with the San Francisco Giants. Sun 27 Dec 2020 13.34 EST. But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 . So thankful for our memories and time together. The Braves finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th in their division. Coaches are quick to banish the pitch after one bad outing. How tall was Phil Niekro? But after 318 career victories over 24 big league seasons, Niekro was rewarded with the ultimate honor in Cooperstown. [28], Niekro was a member of the board of directors for Kiz Toys, a toy company based out of Cumming, Georgia, and Niekro advised the company on the KizSport baseball line, reviewing product designs and development. Tom Candiotti, a notable knuckler in his time and a teammate of Niekro's with the 1986 Cleveland Indians, said that talking to Knucksie was "like talking to Thomas Edison about light bulbs.". Regardless of how the ball is gripped, the purpose of the knuckleball is to have the least possible amount of rotational spin. I don't think of his 318 wins. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my condolences to Phil's family, friends and the many fans he earned throughout his life in our National Pastime.". [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. "But even more than his signature pitch and trademark durability, Phil will be remembered as one of our game's most genial people. In 2013, J. P. Arencibia set a Toronto Blue Jays franchise record by allowing four passed balls in the season opener (a 42 loss) while catching for knuckleballer R. A. Dickey. 1978 Topps #206 Strikeout Leaders Phil Niekro Nolan Ryan - Nice Card. They all sit behind home plate." Bob Uecker During 24 big league seasons, Phil Niekro rode his knuckleball to 5,404 innings pitched - the most of any pitcher who started his career in the live ball era. [1] He began the year as a relief pitcher but had earned a job in the starting rotation during the season.[9]. In the finale, manager Billy Martin handed pitching coach duties to Joe Niekro and the ball to Phil Niekro. Then sentiment finally took over with two outs in the ninth. Shipping speed. This modern pitch is unrelated to the knuckleball. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. None of them succeeded to the extent . "We are heartbroken on the passing of our treasured friend, Phil Niekro," the Braves said in a statement. The Hall of Fame knuckleballer died at 81 years old after a battle with cancer, his former team announced Sunday. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. On October 1, with the Braves clinging to a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Niekro beat the San Diego Padres almost single-handedly by throwing a complete game shutout and hitting a two-run home run. 4.9. Nancy and I are deeply saddened by the news today of the passing of Phil Niekro. "Catching Niekro's knuckleball was great," said Uecker, now a Hall of Fame announcer. inFlowery Branch,GA, Buried: In 1984, Niekro signed a two-year contract with the New York Yankees. ", "Knuckleballers' paths as tricky as the pitch", "MLB pitchers setting velocity records, altering balance of power", "Knuckleball life comes full circle for Wakefield", "Japan's 'Knuckle Princess' Arrives in U.S.", "Knuckleball pitchers may be a dying breed", "The art of the mysterious knuckleball is on the verge of extinction", "Wakefield, Dickey share a unique relationship", "R. A. Dickey calls Cy Young Award a victory for all knuckleballers", "Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis Making His MLB Debut at Age 33 Is So Cool", "Frazier breaks out knuckler in pitching debut", "You knew Wade Boggs could hit, but did you also know he had a nasty knuckleball? Heck, he didn't even know where it was going most of the time. $5.98 + $1.98 shipping. [22], On September 18, 2020, the first knuckleball thrown in 2020 was by the New York Mets' Todd Frazier, normally a third baseman, in a 15-2 blowout loss to Atlanta Braves. He spent six long years in the minor leagues, and once he got to the majors his fluttering knuckleball never lit up the radar gun. [13] And on April 8, 2010, she signed with the Chico Outlaws, debuting on May 29, 2010. In baseball terminology the pitcher and catcher together are known as a "battery", and having a catcher experienced in catching a knuckleball pitcher is preferable, so the trade of pitcher and catcher together is sometimes referred to as a "batteries included" trade. Phil Niekro was preceded in death by Joe Niekro, who suffered a fatal brain aneurysm in 2006. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. Other prominent knuckleball pitchers have included Joe Niekro (Phil's brother), Charlie Hough, Dave Jolly, Ben Flowers, Wilbur Wood, Barney Schultz, Tom Candiotti, Bob Purkey, Steve Sparks, Eddie Rommel, Tim Wakefield, Steven Wright, and Dickey. Between 1964 and 1987, Phil racked up 318 wins (the most by a knuckleball pitcher), struck out over 3,000 and had a ERA of 3.35. Dont do it. . [1] He was released by the Yankees before the 1986 season started. While learning to trust the pitch which is pushed toward home plate without any spin, allowing air currents to move the ball unpredictably Niekro ascended through the Braves minor league system. I was not going to get myself so high. By adding a third finger, you make the process a lot more difficult. [2] If a knuckleball does not change direction in mid-flight, however, then it is easy to hit due to its lack of speed. 300, entered the bottom of the ninth having shut out the Jays on curveballs, slip pitches, fastballs and screwballs -- everything but a knuckleball. "[28] The year before, Niekro had received the most Hall of Fame votes out of all the players in the ballot, but had not received the required 75% of the vote for election. Niekro, who was born April 1, 1939, and died in 2020 at 81, excelled by using the elusive . Phil Niekro (19392020), legendary knuckleball pitcher. Your pointer and middle fingertips throw the knuckleball. [17] When, in 2012, R. A. Dickey became the first Cy Young Award-winning knuckleball pitcher, he called the award "a victory for the knuckleball fraternity", and of the dozens of phone calls he received after the announcement, Niekro's was the only one he answered. But there are overwhelming similarities between the grips of the great knuckleball pitchers; guys like Phil Niekro, Charlie Hough, Tom Candiotti, Tim Wakefield, RA Dickey and the like. I led the league in ERA [1.87], and he led the league in passed balls. From an interview with ESPN, Master of the knuckleball and a great mentor, leader and friend, Hall of Famer and @braves legend Phil Niekro passed away overnight at the age of 81. https://t.co/aj7uScYnuy pic.twitter.com/F1GmX9Yb1n. The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and pick it up. Phil Niekro weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. Instead, you will feel like it "shoots" out as the ball leaves your fingertips. This is one of the most common misconceptions about the knuckleball. $2.49 . [14], Another factor contributing to the rarity of the knuckleball is the difficulty of throwing the pitch. Because there are so few knuckleball pitchers, the resources for learning and improving the knuckleball are few compared to more common pitches. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. 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, who pitched well into his 40s . In addition, Phil played American Legion Baseball. He was the best knuckleball pitcher in baseball history. He'd made a living escaping such jams with a knuckleball that would . 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. [3] In 1917, Druery taught the pitch to Eddie Rommel who became successful with it for the Philadelphia Athletics.[4]. (Josh Szot/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Phil Niekro managed the Colorado Silver Bullets baseball team from 1994-97. Seams are raised. Anything that you do that has a chance of putting even a tiny amount of spin on the ball must be eliminated, even if it feels comfortable. Though Phil and Joe Niekro did twice team together, with the 1973-74 Braves and the 1985 Yankees, the two self-declared best friends were more often friendly rivals. Created by the act of throwing a ball, the ball's trajectory is significantly affected by variations in airflow caused by differences between the smooth surface of the ball and the stitching of its seams. [1], From 1975 to 1976, he went 1515 and 1711 and made a second All-Star appearance in 1975. [1][8] He stayed with the major league team all year in 1965, pitching .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}74+23 innings in 41 games and recording six saves. [36] This technique has also been described as the "dry leaf" or "dead leaf" ("folha seca" in Portuguese),[37] the "tomahawk",[38] or even "the accursed" ("maledetta" in Italian). Because the speed of any prospect's pitch is one of the quickest and easiest metrics in judging the skill of the prospect, the knuckleball, which is thrown slower than any other pitch, gets overlooked. However, since a typical major league starting rotation exceeds the length of a series against any one opponent, one way a manager can mitigate this disadvantage is to adjust his team's pitching rotation so as to eliminate (or at least minimize) games in which a knuckleballer would pitch against teams with a preponderance of fast baserunners. [1] Niekro retired at the end of the season. They hold the record for most combined wins by siblings in a career with 539. (Doug McWilliams/National baseball Hall of Fame and Museum). Phil, trying for a fifth time to win No. But because the pitch is so difficult to throw, even on a good day, you want to reduce as many variables as possible. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In this March 29, 2007, photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Philip Henry Niekro (/ n i k r o / NEE-kroh; April 1, 1939 - December 26, 2020), nicknamed "Knucksie", was an American baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball, 20 of them with the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves.Niekro's 318 career victories are the most by a knuckleballer and rank 16th on MLB's all-time wins list.He won the National League Gold Glove Award five . Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. As a mentor, leader and friend, Phil brought out the best in all of us in Cooperstown. MISTER KNUCKLEBALL MASTER YOU WILL BE MISSED. He looks much older. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, Did not play in major or minor leagues (Military Service), Salaries may not be complete (especially pre-1985) and may not include some earned bonuses, Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. ATLANTA Baseball Hall of Famer Phil 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 . Phil Niekro was born in Blaine, OH. The team was eliminated from the playoffs after losing the next two games. According to Adair, the 150ms minimum human reaction time may be too slow to adjust to a knuckleball's changing direction.[2]. Popular categories from this store. His 23 victories that season earned him second place in the National League Cy Young Award vote. Phil Niekro signs autographs for fans in Cooperstown at the 2011 Hall of Fame Parade of Legends. in speed, and things like that." . Amazingly, he won 121 games over the age of 40 thanks to his knuckleball. "Knucksie was woven into the Braves fabric, first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta. "I figured if there's any way I'm going to win my 300th game by striking the guy out, I was going to do it with the pitch that won the first game for me," Niekro said. "Catching Niekro's knuckleball was great. April 15, 1964 Phil Niekro had 3,342 strikeouts over his career. Sponsored. He appeared in relief three times, earning two saves. His brother Joe Niekro even pays him . By all accounts, Niekro, like Murphy and legendary former Braves manager Bobby Cox Niekro's manager from 1978-81 and the general manager when the Braves brought Niekro back in 1987 are . Richard Drew / AP file. He reinvented pitching by adding this slow, crazy moving pitch. [23], Among position players making pitching appearances, those who have utilized the knuckleball include Wade Boggs,[24][25] Danny Worth,[26] Alex Blandino,[27] and Ernie Clement. Seams have texture. Ralph Kiner compared Niekro's special pitch to "watching Mario Andretti park a car". Data Provided By A paper presented at the 2012 Conference of the International Sports Engineering Association argues, based on PITCHf/x data, that knuckleballs do not make large and abrupt changes in their trajectories on the way to home plateor at least, no more abrupt than a normal pitch. 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. In-person Lessons at the Knuckleball Academy, Knuckleball Grip, Part 3: Depth of the Baseball. You do not push a knuckleball with the fingers. [1], On August 9, 1987, Niekro was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Darryl Landrum and a player to be named later,[17] who was later revealed to be Don Gordon. This change adds a deflecting force to the baseball, making it difficult for batters to hit but also difficult for pitchers to control and catchers to catch; umpires are challenged as well, as the ball's irregular motion through the air makes it harder to call balls and strikes. and he is still predominantly recognized as the premier knuckleball pitcher in the game's history. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. 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. The lower physical strain also fosters longer careers. September 27, 1987 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. "Phil Niekro was one of the most distinctive and memorable pitchers of his generation," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. [30], On December 26, 2020, Niekro died in his sleep at age 81. Phil Niekro showing his grip at the Baseball Hall of Fame. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. [22], A sidearm pitcher, his pitching featured the knuckleball, which frustrated major league hitters. vs. SFG 3.0 IP, 6 H, 0 SO, 6 BB, 5 ER. Phil Niekro, 300-game winner and Hall of Famer, passed away on Dec. 26 at the age of 81. Atlanta Braves pitcher Phil Niekro is seen in a 1968 photo. [10], In 1970, he went 1218 with a 4.27 ERA in what turned out to be a down year. In 24 seasons with the Braves, Yankees, Indians and Blue Jays, Niekro was 318-274 with a 3.35 ERA. This is due to both the knuckleball's low average speed and its erratic movement, which force the catcher to keep focusing on the ball even after the runners start stealing their next bases. A successful knuckleball shot will move, dip, or wobble in the air unpredictably, making it difficult for the goalkeeper to save. We'll miss you, Knucksie. In this March 29, 2007, file photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball which he used to pitch well into his 40s. vs. SFG 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER, Last Game: "In the last century, no pitcher threw more than Phil's 5,404 innings. 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. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Unlike conventional pitches, which perform fast results without much exertion, a knuckleball pitcher must train his body and muscle memory to be able to execute a 65mph pitch with less than one rotation. Hitting a knuckleball is different enough from other aspects of baseball that players specifically prepare for the pitch during batting practice before games they expect it in. http://www.courtsidetweets.comPhil Niekro of the New York Yankees wins his 300th game in Toronto against the Blue Jays! Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Pitching coaches often struggle with knuckleball pitchers due to a lack of experience with the pitch. [21] Mickey Jannis of the Baltimore Orioles organization also throws the knuckleball, and made his major league debut on June 23, 2021. 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). Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro has died at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer, the Atlanta Braves announced on Sunday. He did not throw his trademark knuckleball throughout the game until the final hitter;[13] to former AL MVP Jeff Burroughs. Twenty years after he broke into the majors, 45-year-old starter Phil Niekro deals a knuckleball against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium, Aug. 8, 1984. Phil Knucksie Niekro used his expertise with the knuckleball pitch to win 318 games during a Hall of Fame career. Carroll would go on to become a two-time All-Star reliever for the Cincinnati Reds and would notch 143 saves over his career. He returned to Louisville in 1962 and had a 96 record. Through Sunday he was 7-2, with an American League-leading ERA of 1.20. Seams catch on skin and send the ball spinning. It is almost never used in a mixed repertoire today, however, and some believe that to throw the knuckleball effectively with some semblance of control over the pitch, one must throw it more or less exclusively. A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. Not many pitchers start out with it, and you can't expect to pick it up overnight. In the finale, manager Billy Martin handed pitching coach duties to Joe Niekro and the ball to Phil Niekro. For his humanitarian service, Niekro was honored with the Lou Gehrig Award, Roberto Clemente Award and Brian Piccolo Award. "He was a constant presence over the years, in our clubhouse, our alumni activities and throughout Braves Country and we will forever be grateful for having him be such an important part of our organization. [50], This article is about the baseball pitch. His younger brother Joe was also a Major League pitcher, who won more than 200 games. Niekro passed away on Dec. 26, 2020, at the age of 81. They hold the record for most combined wins by siblings in a career with 539. No pitcher since the dead-ball era spent more time on a major league mound. Remembering Phil Niekro, King of the Knuckleballers (1939-2020) by Jay Jaffe. He surrendered a league-leading 40 home runs that year, a feat he would not repeat until 1979. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. pic.twitter.com/bGjFBMJZrL, Full Obituary: Atlanta Journal Constitution. First called up by Milwaukee in 1964, Niekro seesawed between the majors and minors, a pitcher struggling to find a niche and willing catchers. Rich in anecdotes and interviews, this book shares the unique stories of Hoyt Wilhelm, Phil Niekro, Jim Bouton, Tom Candiotti, Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey, and many others. Burroughs struck out, giving the Yankees an 8-0 victory and Niekro his milestone. The nice thing about Phil Niekro is, he doesn't look his age. I feel like I'm surrounded by family, Niekro said of his many trips to Cooperstown. "There aren't many hitters who like facing knuckleball pitchers," Niekro said. But that was nothing new. [8], Niekro debuted with the Milwaukee Braves in 1964, working 15 major league innings and spending time with the team's class AAA minor league affiliate. 2. Dedicated daily to memorializing notable personalities. The fingers that stabilize the ball shouldnt be on any seams. 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. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. The knuckleball is also employed by cricket fast bowlers Zaheer Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Andrew Tye as their slower delivery. The asymmetric drag that results tends to deflect the trajectory toward the side with the stitches. "I was a one-pitch pitcher.". Since it developed during a period when the spitball was legal and commonly used, and was similarly surprising in its motion, the knuckleball was sometimes called the "dry spitter". 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. Also featured are the stories of the best knuckleball catchers, from Bob Uecker and Doug Mirabelli to Rick Ferrell and Paul Richards. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1997. Rookie Status: AP2007. (Parker Fish/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He played most of his many seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves alongside brief stops with the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Cleveland. Many people, including pros, think that the pitch is thrown with fingertips dug into the seams. Phil Niekro played 24 . He pitched in the major leagues from 1964 to 1987. Check out some of his best highlights here!Don't forget to subscribe! Since it typically only travels 60 to 70 miles per hour (97 to 113km/h),[7] far slower than the average major league fastball 85 to 95 miles per hour (137 to 153km/h), it can be hit very hard if there is no movement. 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 . When was Phil Niekro born? "Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Nancy, sons Philip, John and Michael and his two grandchildren Chase and Emma.". Philip Henry Niekro was born on April 1, 1939, in Blaine, Ohio. He took the mound for nearly a quarter of a century using the arm-saving pitch. While he was briefly promoted to the Class AAA Louisville Colonels in 1960, he spent the rest of that season pitching for the Jacksonville Braves. And I always get questions about this, Why cant I use three fingers? It speculates that the appearance of abrupt shifting may be due to the unpredictability of the changes in direction.[9]. It hit me in the shinguard, bounced out to Clete Boyer at third base and he threw out the runner at first. As I discussed earlier, there are a few different ways to grip the knuckleball. Show your love of the game and play a part in preserving past and ensuring the future of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Born: Niekro was a five-time All-Star and pitched a no-hitter in 1973 against the Padres. He was a key contributor to the Braves winning their only two division titles before 1991. [15], After two seasons in New York, Niekro pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1986.