On October 6, 1985, Niekro gained entry into the 300 win club with a shutout win over the Toronto Blue Jays. [30], The record for passed balls in an inning (4) was first set by Ray Katt of the New York Giants in 1954, catching Hoyt Wilhelm. "I never knew how to throw a fastball, never learned how to throw a curveball, a slider, split-finger, whatever they're throwing nowadays," he said. 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. 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. Niekro was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 and served on the Museums Board of Directors since 2009. And todays two tips are all about reducing those variables. Heck, he didn't even know where it was going most of the time. Dedicated daily to memorializing notable personalities. By 1969, Niekro was an All-Star. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. I don't think of his knuckleball. On occasion, teams have traded knuckleball pitchers and their catchers in the same transaction. His knuckleball led him to five All-Star selections, three 20-win seasons for the Atlanta Braves, the 300-win club, and ultimately, to Cooperstown. At 46 years, 188 days, Niekro became the oldest pitcher to pitch a shutout in the major leagues. Additionally, Ted Lyons, another member of the Hall of Fame, relied heavily on the knuckleball after injuring his arm in 1931. 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. ATLANTA (AP) Phil Niekro threw a pitch that baffled hitters and catchers. pic.twitter.com/bGjFBMJZrL, Full Obituary: Atlanta Journal Constitution. But that was nothing new. Niekro threw a no-hitter against the Padres on Aug. 5, 1973, and won his 300th career game on the final day of the 1985 season by throwing just one knuckler on the last pitch of the game. Carroll would go on to become a two-time All-Star reliever for the Cincinnati Reds and would notch 143 saves over his career. Phil Niekro owns one of, if not, the best knuckleball in MLB history. The Braves finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th in their division. The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and pick it up. Toad Ramsey of the Louisville Colonels in the old American Associationhis pitch likely resembled the knuckle curveand Eddie Cicotte of the Chicago White Sox, who in 1908 was nicknamed "Knuckles", are two possible creators of the pitch. [1] Niekro retired at the end of the season. 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. Niekro passed away on Dec. 26, 2020, at the age of 81. Nobody likes to warm up with you." (Age 25-014d, [14] Niekro struck Burroughs out to end the game. Not many pitchers start out with it, and you can't expect to pick it up overnight. 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 . Shipping speed. Most of his career was spent with mostly with the Atlanta Braves. December 30, 2020. He attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and was a boyhood friend of Basketball Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek. I didnt know what it was or anything, he showed me how to hold it and wed just play knuckleball in the backyard., Phil Niekro pitched for the Braves for 21 seasons, topping the 300-inning mark in four seasons. When I think of Phil Niekro, two things come to mind. Avoid the seams. In 1979, the 40-year-old Niekro led the league in both wins (21) and losses (20). The knuckleball is also employed by cricket fast bowlers Zaheer Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Andrew Tye as their slower delivery. One 2007 study offered evidence for this conclusion. Phil Niekro was one of thirty-seven men to take the field for the 1965 Milwaukee Braves, the last year they existed (1953-1965) before moving to Atlanta.When Knucksie hung up his cleats in 1987, he was the last active player from the former team.. Phil Niekro, on July 29, 1977, joined the 4 Strikeouts in 1 Inning "club" - the first (known / located) instance by a Braves pitcher. Phil Niekro, who rode his knuckleball to 318 wins and a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame, has died at 81 of cancer. It was Oct. 6, 1985, the final day of the season. It does not need to be thrown hard (in fact, throwing too hard may diminish its effectiveness), and is therefore less taxing on the arm. Of the thousands of pitchers who have reached the majors, fewer than a hundred mastered the knuckleball that maddeningly erratic, spin-free butterfly well enough to rely upon it as their primary pitch. Heck, the pitch comes and goes when it feels like it and, get this, you never really master it. [12] Niekro was given the nickname "Knucksie" during his career. [8], Niekro led the league with a 1.87 ERA in 1967, earning an 119 record with 10 complete games and 9 saves. 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan Phil Niekro Strikeout Leaders #206 NM HOF Nice Card! He won the National League Gold Glove Award five times, was selected to five All-Star teams, and led the league in victories twice and earned run average once. Sun 27 Dec 2020 13.34 EST. [39], One of the main proponents of this shooting technique was Brazilian playmaker Juninho Pernambucano, who popularised it in particular during his time with Lyon in the mid 2000s;[40] however, it is commonly thought to have been invented by compatriot Didi,[37][41][42] although Italian forward Giuseppe Meazza before him is also credited with using the technique. Associated Press. [10] Another reason for the difficulty of the knuckleball is due to the network effect. 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 . [3] In 1917, Druery taught the pitch to Eddie Rommel who became successful with it for the Philadelphia Athletics.[4]. He was 81. 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 Knucksie Niekro used his expertise with the knuckleball pitch to win 318 games during a Hall of Fame career. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, I would like to send our heartfelt condolences to Nancy Niekro and the Niekro family., Born April 1, 1939 in Blaine, Ohio, Philip Henry Niekro was taught the knuckler by his father. [6] According to physicist Robert Adair, due to the physiological limitation of human reaction time, a breaking knuckleball may be impossible to hit except by luck. But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 . [1] Niekro's playoff loss came against Seaver. 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. By adding a third finger, you make the process a lot more difficult. You get beaten down to learn another @baseballhall friend #PhilNiekro passed away. Over more than a decade of serving as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Hall of Fame, his wisdom, his compassion, and his love for the game proved to be invaluable in helping us shape our decisions. A successful knuckleball shot will move, dip, or wobble in the air unpredictably, making it difficult for the goalkeeper to save. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? If one of the fingers puts more pressure on the ball than the other, the ball spins. Niekro, who was born April 1, 1939, and died in 2020 at 81, excelled by using the elusive . The physics of the operation are largely the same. The Niekro brothers would face each other nine times in their career, with Joes team winning five. "[26], After the end of his professional baseball career, Niekro managed the all-women Colorado Silver Bullets baseball team. The first is selection bias in scouting. Our hearts go out to Nancy Niekro, the kids and grandkids. April 15, 1964 [16] He started the 1987 season with the Indians, going 711 in 26 starts. Put yourself into a position to give yourself a chance and use two fingertips. Phil Niekro played for 5 teams; the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays. 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. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. However, the Cardinals scored two late runs after Niekro left the game and would eventually sweep the series. Another drawback is that runners on base can usually advance more easily than if a conventional pitcher is on the mound. Niekro, born in Blaine, Ohio, on April 1, 1939, was the proud scion of a family dynasty of sorts. September 27, 1987 With the Braves Niekro earned 268 of his career 318 . Bases loaded, nobody out, a lead slipping away. A statue of Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro, the winningest knuckleball pitcher in major league history, adorns the Atlanta Braves' Truist Park Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Atlanta. MISTER KNUCKLEBALL MASTER YOU WILL BE MISSED. Coaches are quick to banish the pitch after one bad outing. Atlanta, Sept. 27, 1987 __ Phil Niekro was in a jam. [19], On September 23, 1987, Niekro signed again with his old team, the Atlanta Braves. 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.". 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. 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 . 1978 Topps #206 Strikeout Leaders Phil Niekro Nolan Ryan - Nice Card. Do you have a sports website? He would go on for two more decades living inside hitters' heads. [1], In 1980 and 1981, he went 1518 and 77 while leading the league in games started (38) and losses (18) in 1980. Phil Niekro played 24 . No pitcher since the dead-ball era spent more time on a major league mound. Reserve your tickets, map your route, and work out all the details for your arrival in Cooperstown. Discover one-of-a-kind artifacts and get lost in sweeping exhibitions that explore pivotal moments in the game and its impact far beyond the field. Their win total still stands as a major league record for siblings, as they surpassed another brother combination featuring a Hall of Famer: Gaylord and Jim Perry (529 wins combined). Talk about a weird assist: 253 on a strikeout. [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. Many thanks to him. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter for all the latest updates. Aug. 30, 1987 12 AM PT. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [] Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. His success eventually forced the team to take a chance on a knuckleballer as a starting pitcher. 12,210th in major league history) Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. (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.) He was known for his knuckleball, and had a career record of 318-274. https://www.youtube.com/MLBClassicsFollow us elsewhere too:Twitter: https://twitter.com/MLBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlb/ \u0026 https://www.instagram.com/mlbvault/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlbTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/share/user/656Visit our site for all baseball news, stats and scores! 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. Niekro was remembered by the Hall as "master of the knuckleball and a great mentor, leader and friend." Niekro didn't make it to the big leagues until 1964, when he pitched 10 games in . As used by Cicotte, the knuckleball was originally thrown by holding the ball with the knuckles, hence the name of the pitch. He took the mound for nearly a quarter of a century using the arm-saving pitch. Phil, trying for a fifth time to win No. "Ueck told me if I was ever going to be a winner to throw the knuckleball at all times and he would try to catch it," Niekro said. It hit me in the shinguard, bounced out to Clete Boyer at third base and he threw out the runner at first. "[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. Now you have to apply even pressure using three fingers. [1], Between 1977 and 1979, Niekro was the league leader in complete games, innings pitched and batters faced. 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. When thrown well with little to no spin, the ball feels like it slips out of your palm. He finished the 1985 season with a 1612 record, the final time he won 15 or more games in a single season. For his humanitarian service, Niekro was honored with the Lou Gehrig Award, Roberto Clemente Award and Brian Piccolo Award. I was not going to get myself so high. According to Adair, the 150ms minimum human reaction time may be too slow to adjust to a knuckleball's changing direction.[2]. . That edge was made possible by a game-winning home run Phil gave up to Joe, the only homer Joe hit in his 22-year career. Seams catch on skin and send the ball spinning. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters for more than two decades . Niekro was born in Blaine, Ohio, and grew up in Lansing, Ohio, the son of Henrietta (Klinkoski) and Philip Niekro. [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. This is one of the most common misconceptions about the knuckleball. The baseball field where he played at Bridgeport High School's Perkins Field athletic complex was renamed "The Niekro Diamond" in 2008 after Phil and his brother, fellow major league pitcher Joe Niekro. [8] To reduce the chances of having the knuckleball get hit for a home run, some pitchers will impart a slight topspin so that if no force causes the ball to dance, it will move downward in flight. [14], Another factor contributing to the rarity of the knuckleball is the difficulty of throwing the pitch. Niekro joined Al Kaline, Tom Seaver, Lou Brock, Bob Gibson . Rookie Status: Thats a long phrase, but it is an important one to learn, A solid knuckleball grip with no fatal flaws. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net.