[3][4] He was of Polish descent. The knuckle curve has a somewhat similar name because of the grip used to throw it (also with the knuckles or fingernails), but it is generally thrown harder and with spin. Phil Niekro Sr., a laborer and part-time semi-pro pitcher, had mastered the knuckler after an arm injury threatened to end his playing days. He amassed 121 victories after he turned 40 -- a major league record -- and pitched until he was 48. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum). [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. [27], Niekro was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997, his fifth year of eligibility. When I think of Phil Niekro, two things come to mind. (Voted by BBWAA on 380/473 ballots) The Braves finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th in their division. The grips of these guys are similar because they understand the basic rule for throwing a great knuckleball reduce as many variables as possible to put yourself into a position to give yourself a chance of killing the spin entirely. Self-guided tour or VIP experience. Aug. 30, 1987 12 AM PT. A successful knuckleball shot will move, dip, or wobble in the air unpredictably, making it difficult for the goalkeeper to save. If staying in the majors could be owed to the knuckler, the same factor might also explain Niekro's initial difficulty in reaching the big leagues. By 1967, Niekro was one of the top pitchers in the game, leading the NL that year with an ERA of 1.87. For the 2012 documentary film, see, position players making pitching appearances, Game 5 of the 2004 American League Championship Series, "The Physics of Baseball: Knuckleball Research", "I am 2-time NL MVP Dale Murphy, former MLB player for the Braves, Phillies and Rockies. Nobody likes to warm up with you." 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. December 27, 2020 Failed to subscribe, please contact admin. Niekro, often referred to by his knuckleball . But after 318 career victories over 24 big league seasons, Niekro was rewarded with the ultimate honor in Cooperstown. Tim Wakefield argues that "The problem is that [baseball] is so radar gun-oriented." After spending 25 of his 45 years in the Braves organization, Niekro is indeed a New York Yankee. Phil Niekro showing his grip at the Baseball Hall of Fame. And if you can throw a ball without any spin at 65-plus miles-per-hour, than youve got a great knuckleball grip. He returned to Louisville in 1962 and had a 96 record. [1], From 1975 to 1976, he went 1515 and 1711 and made a second All-Star appearance in 1975. The Niekro brothers would face each other nine times in their career, with Joes team winning five. 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. [15][16], Perhaps as a result, knuckleball pitchers often view themselves as members of an exclusive club, with its own uniform number (49, first worn by Wilhelm) and leader (Phil Niekro, whom The New Yorker in 2004 called "the undisputed Grand Poobah" of the group after Wilhelm's death). "They may not be intimidated by them, but they sure are thinking about them before they go into the box.". By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. He emerged from Ohio coal mine country as a conventional pitching prospect, signing with the Braves in 1958 but resisting the knuckleball until a minor league manager told him to throw the knuckler or go home., (My father) taught it to me in the backyard, Niekro said. Check out some of his best highlights here!Don't forget to subscribe! [20] On September 27, he made his final start of his career, pitching three innings and surrendering five runs in the no-decision. By Jim Murray. ATLANTA (AP) Phil Niekro threw a pitch that baffled hitters and catchers. In 1979, Phil, pitching for the Braves, and Joe, for the Astros, tied for the most victories in the National League, with 21 each. Phil Niekro won 318 games over his 24-year big league career. The first is selection bias in scouting. Many people, including pros, think that the pitch is thrown with fingertips dug into the seams. December 27, 2020, 9:39 AM. He'd made a living escaping such jams with a knuckleball that would . (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), Phil Niekro (left) greets members of Team Knucksie, including Alan Trammell (center), before the 2015 Hall of Fame Classic Game in Cooperstown. "[10], In 1991, Hall of Fame catcher Rick Ferrell was quoted as saying, "I think the knuckleball is fading out." He had been diagnosed with prostate[31] cancer.[32][33]. I LOVE NEW YORK is a registered trademark and service mark of the New York State Department of Economic Development; used with permission. In this March 29, 2007, photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 5.0. [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. His pitching coach? 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. 1965 Topps Clay Carroll, Phil Niekro #461. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters for more than two decades . inFlowery Branch,GA, Buried: 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. Phil Niekro Phil is probably the best known knuckleball pitcher. Niekro was born in Blaine, Ohio, and grew up in Lansing, Ohio, the son of Henrietta (Klinkoski) and Philip Niekro. Get breaking news alerts& today's headlines inyour inbox. [29], The Gwinnett Braves' home, Coolray Field, has a restaurant, Niekro's, named after him. Position the Ball 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. There are other prominent knuckleball pitchers like Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, who had a very effective knuckler and knuckle curve, and Cy Young Award winning pitcher R. A. Dickey. Ed Summers, an Indianapolis teammate of Cicotte who adopted the pitch and helped develop it, modified it by holding the ball with his fingertips and using the thumb for balance. Phil Niekro, the Hall of Fame knuckleballer who won 318 games in a 24-year career, died in his sleep Saturday night after a battle with cancer, the Atlanta Braves announced Sunday. Shipping speed. "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. [6], Niekro signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1959 for $250 ($2,324 in current dollar terms). In the finale, manager Billy Martin handed pitching coach duties to Joe Niekro and the ball to Phil Niekro. [15], After two seasons in New York, Niekro pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1986. Jean Faut (19252023), AAGPBL pitcher with two perfect Bob Richards (19262023), first athlete featured on Wheaties Greg Foster (19582023), world champion hurdler, Tom Sizemore (19612023), actor in Saving Private Ryan, Heat, Jerry Richardson (19362023), Carolina Panthers founder, Wayne Shorter (19332023), jazz saxophonist who co-founded Weather Report, Jean Faut (19252023), AAGPBL pitcher with two perfect games, Bob Richards (19262023), first athlete featured on Wheaties boxes, Greta Andersen (19272023), Olympic swimming champion. In 1969, his first All-Star season, he had a 2313 season with a 2.56 ERA,[1] finishing second in the National League Cy Young award balloting to Tom Seaver. Phil Niekro shares a story with Braves fans during A Night at the Museum at the Hall of Fame. Knucksie was one of a kind. The obituaries for Phil Niekro, who died of cancer at age 81 on Dec. 26, focused on his legendary knuckleball.In the Ohio Valley, the Appalachian mining country southwest of Pittsburgh where "Knucksie" grew up, the Hall of Famer is also remembered as a loyal friend, enthusiastic booster, and son and grandson of hardworking Polish coalminers who lived a thrilling American dream. Phil Niekro's big league career was never about speed. [20], As of 2019[update], Steven Wright of the Boston Red Sox was considered to be the last active knuckleballer in the MLB; he has since been released from the team. Historically, the term "knuckle curve" had a usage that was different from what it has in the game today. 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. 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 was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 and served on the Museums Board of Directors since 2009. 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. Friend, teammate, father and husband. 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. 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. 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. I don't think of his 318 wins. Coaches are quick to banish the pitch after one bad outing. 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 . Niekro was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. Phil Niekro was preceded in death by Joe Niekro, who suffered a fatal brain aneurysm in 2006. Atlanta, Sept. 27, 1987 __ Phil Niekro was in a jam. [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. I feel like I'm surrounded by family, Niekro said of his many trips to Cooperstown. Senior producer, Legacy.com. Joe Niekro. Heck, he didn't even know where it was going most of the time. Also featured are the stories of the best knuckleball catchers, from Bob Uecker and Doug Mirabelli to Rick Ferrell and Paul Richards. No pitcher since the dead-ball era spent more time on a major league mound. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Phil Niekro was elected to the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors in 2009. 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 . The origins of the knuckleball are unclear. 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.". 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. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1997. 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. "I was a one-pitch pitcher.". Do you have a blog? Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. 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 . [50], This article is about the baseball pitch. [12] He won 16 games in 1984 and made his fifth and final All-Star appearance. 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. They clawed against each other as mound opponents, with Joe defeating his big brother 5-4 in their careers. Born: You get beaten down to learn another @baseballhall friend #PhilNiekro passed away. Talk about a weird assist: 253 on a strikeout. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Niekro and his brother Joe, another knuckleballer, hold the record for the most victories by a brother combination with 539. 1978 Topps #206 Strikeout Leaders Phil Niekro Nolan Ryan - Nice Card. 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 . You do not push a knuckleball with the fingers. I got to meet a lot of important people. 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. Uecker acknowledged he did a lot of chasing. It features the Knucksie Sandwich, made with barbecue pork and cole slaw atop a corn muffin, said to be his favorite. [30] The "knuckleball catcher" is equipped with an oversized knuckleball catcher's mitt,[31] similar to a first baseman's glove; Doug Mirabelli, formerly of the Red Sox, used a softball catcher's mitt. First called up by Milwaukee in 1964, Niekro seesawed between the majors and minors, a pitcher struggling to find a niche and willing catchers. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Regardless of how the ball is gripped, the purpose of the knuckleball is to have the least possible amount of rotational spin. 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. Niekro was a five-time All-Star and pitched a no-hitter in 1973 against the Padres. [1] He began the year as a relief pitcher but had earned a job in the starting rotation during the season.[9]. 300, entered the bottom of the ninth having shut out the Jays on curveballs, slip pitches, fastballs and screwballs -- everything but a knuckleball. Cicotte was widely reported to throw both the knuckleball and a variant on the spitball known as a "shine ball" (because he would "shine" one side of a dirty ball by rubbing it on his uniform). Sponsored. 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! In 1984, Niekro signed a two-year contract with the New York Yankees. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that . . His longevity was greatly aided by his reliance on the knuckleball, which puts far less stress on a pitcher's throwing arm than a standard repertoire of pitches. The knuckleball is also employed by cricket fast bowlers Zaheer Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Andrew Tye as their slower delivery. [14], Another factor contributing to the rarity of the knuckleball is the difficulty of throwing the pitch. Pitching coaches often struggle with knuckleball pitchers due to a lack of experience with the pitch. However, Cicotte called the shine ball "a pure freak of the imagination", claiming that he did this to disconcert hitters and that the pitch was still a knuckleball.