Phil Niekro

Philip Henry Niekro was born on April 1, 1939, in Blaine, Ohio, and grew up in Lansing, Ohio. He was the son of Philip Niekro and Henrietta (Klinkoski), and his father, a coal miner, taught him the knuckleball pitch in their backyard. Niekro attended Bridgeport High School, where the baseball field was later renamed “The Niekro Diamond” in honor of him and his brother, Joe, also a major league pitcher. He signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1959. After several years in the minor leagues, largely as a relief pitcher for teams like the Louisville Colonels, Jacksonville Braves, and Austin Senators, Niekro made his Major League debut with the Milwaukee Braves in 1964.

Niekro’s career spanned 24 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, but also with the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Toronto Blue Jays. He earned the nickname “Knucksie” for his mastery of the knuckleball, a pitch that confounded hitters throughout his career. He led the National League in ERA in 1967 with a 1.87 and recorded his first of five All-Star selections in 1969. A significant milestone occurred on August 5, 1973, when he pitched a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres, the first for the Braves franchise since their move to Atlanta. He was a dominant force, leading the league in wins twice (1974 and 1979) and leading the major leagues in innings pitched three times (1977, 1978, 1979). Notably, in 1979, Niekro, at 40 years old, achieved the rare feat of winning and losing 20 games in the same season, alongside his brother Joe, who also recorded 21 wins that year.

Niekro continued to pitch effectively into his 40s. In 1982, he had a strong 17–4 season for the Braves and won his fourth Gold Glove Award. He reached his 300th career win on October 6, 1985, as a member of the New York Yankees, pitching a shutout against the Toronto Blue Jays without throwing a knuckleball until the final batter. He retired at the end of the 1987 season as the oldest player to regularly play in MLB for a period. His career concluded with 318 wins, 3,342 strikeouts, and a 3.35 ERA. Niekro was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, solidifying his legacy as one of baseball’s most unique and effective pitchers.