Furthermore, other factors, such as a dearth of knuckleball teachers and the dramatic increase in the running game base stealing is often easier against knuckleball pitchers may be contributing to its demise. He appeared in relief three times, earning two saves. Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro, who rode his knuckleball to 318 victories, was the seventh Hall of Famer to pass away in 2020. . Over the distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate, the effect of these forces is that the knuckleball can flutter, dance, jiggle, or curve in two different directions during its flight. However, the seam on a cricket ball is equatorial, and thus the extent of erratic movement is reduced due to the symmetry (at least in the conventional release position where the planes of the ball's trajectory and the seam are nearly co-planar). But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 wins, earned him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame and gave him a nickname that stuck for the rest of his life. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. He surrendered a league-leading 40 home runs that year, a feat he would not repeat until 1979. How much did Phil Niekro weigh when playing? The Hall said in an announcement Sunday that Niekro died overnight. April 15, 1964 Phil Niekro was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1997. 1978 Topps #206 Strikeout Leaders Phil Niekro Nolan Ryan - Nice Card. It was a career summed up by his dedication to a pitch that can be as confounding as it is unhittable. 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. They clawed against each other as mound opponents, with Joe defeating his big brother 5-4 in their careers. Not many pitchers start out with it, and you can't expect to pick it up overnight. So thankful for our memories and time together. By 1969, Niekro was an All-Star. The Boston Red Sox, in their 2004 world championship season, had Mirabelli regularly catching in place of Jason Varitek when Tim Wakefield was pitching. (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. (Jean Fruth/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Cleveland Indians uniform cap worn by Phil Niekro facing the Detroit Tigers on June 1, 1987, when he gained his 314th career win, making the Niekro brothers the all-time brother-combined leaders in wins with 530 - B-98-87 (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), Phil Niekro pitching as Atlanta Brave, 1981 - BL-2710-2000 (Rick Pilling/National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), Niekro remembered for mastery of the knuckleball, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, https://www.tiktok.com/@baseballhall?lang=en. He looks much older. [19] At the same time, pitchers rarely focus on the knuckleball if they have reasonable skill with more standard pitches. 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). It feels comfortable to me. Well, three fingers gives you a much better chance of spinning the ball, and heres why: To eliminate the spin you need to apply even pressure from two fingertips. The brothers were the sons of a coal miner[5] who had pitched semi-pro baseball and learned to throw a knuckleball from another coal miner. [1], From 1975 to 1976, he went 1515 and 1711 and made a second All-Star appearance in 1975. Uecker acknowledged he did a lot of chasing. "Knucksie was woven into the Braves fabric, first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum). 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.". He reinvented pitching by adding this slow, crazy moving pitch. In this March 29, 2007, file photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Niekro was a five-time All-Star and pitched a no-hitter in . Phil Niekro dug his fingernails into the baseballs seams and carved out a legend eventually earning a plaque in Cooperstown. [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). 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. Niekro remains the last MLB pitcher to win and lose 20 games in the same season, finishing 21-20 with the Braves in 1979. Historically, the term "knuckle curve" had a usage that was different from what it has in the game today. Youve made you development 50% more difficult. I don't think of his 318 wins. Heck, the pitch comes and goes when it feels like it and, get this, you never really master it. AP2007. Phil Niekro owns one of, if not, the best knuckleball in MLB history. Now you have to apply even pressure using three fingers. [33] It was tied by View Phil Niekro's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). Keep up with headlines and events at the Baseball Hall of Fame, and see who will be taking their place in history next. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. There will be a period when they will beat the daylights out of you. 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 . Phil Niekro, 300-game winner and Hall of Famer, passed away on Dec. 26 at the age of 81. The resulting motion of the pitch more closely resembles a curveball, which explains the combination name. https://www.mlb.com/ In association football (soccer), the method of striking the ball so that it produces almost no spinning motion during its flight has been colloquially described as "knuckleballing" by commentators, due to the ball's motion that resembles a baseball thrown with a knuckleball pitch. Failed to subscribe, please contact admin. Former catcher Bob Uecker, who caught for Phil Niekro, said, "The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and pick it up. Who throws the best knuckleball? After he was notified, Niekro said, "Giving a description of today's phone call is impossible. He finished the 1985 season with a 1612 record, the final time he won 15 or more games in a single season. You do not push a knuckleball with the fingers. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s . (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Phil Niekro was elected to the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors in 2009. Niekro and his younger brother Joe amassed 539 wins between them, the most combined wins by brothers in baseball history. Phil Niekro had 3,342 strikeouts over his career. 12,210th in major league history) He was kind, a gentleman, family man, master of his trade and teamate 84-85. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. He always represented his sport extraordinarily well, and he will be deeply missed. December 30, 2020. Atlanta Braves pitcher Phil Niekro is seen in a 1968 photo. ", "Will R. A. Dickey's Angry Knuckleball Change The Game? He . 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. http://www.courtsidetweets.comPhil Niekro of the New York Yankees wins his 300th game in Toronto against the Blue Jays! How tall was Phil Niekro? 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. Bases loaded, nobody out, a lead slipping away. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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 . [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. [8], Niekro led the league with a 1.87 ERA in 1967, earning an 119 record with 10 complete games and 9 saves. But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 . 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. Coaches are quick to banish the pitch after one bad outing. Phil Niekro fashioned a long, successful sports career by mastering the most confounding pitch in the history of baseballthe knuckleball. Many people, including pros, think that the pitch is thrown with fingertips dug into the seams. In 1979, the 40-year-old Niekro led the league in both wins (21) and losses (20). It speculates that the appearance of abrupt shifting may be due to the unpredictability of the changes in direction.[9]. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. He spent the next season with the Class AA Austin Senators. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. Hoyt Wilhelm, Phil Niekro, and Jesse Haines, three pitchers who primarily relied on the knuckleball, have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 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 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. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter for all the latest updates. Tim Wakefield argues that "The problem is that [baseball] is so radar gun-oriented." MISTER KNUCKLEBALL MASTER YOU WILL BE MISSED. (Age 48-179d) Your pointer and middle fingertips throw the knuckleball. 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. All four of these pitchers had a baseball WHIP below 1.35, which shows how effective they were at reducing hits and limiting walks per inning. Phil Niekro was born in Blaine, OH. [1], In 1980 and 1981, he went 1518 and 77 while leading the league in games started (38) and losses (18) in 1980. Following his baseball career, he managed the Colorado Silver Bullets, an all-women baseball team in the late 1990s. The Niekro brothers would face each other nine times in their career, with Joes team winning five. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. After work hours guitarist, DJ, record label owner and New York style pizza aficionado. Indeed, Bouton's famous best-selling book Ball Four (1970), while scandalous at the time for its unvarnished and often uncomplimentary portrayal of player behavior and coaching small-mindedness, is primarily a tale of the ups and downs of trying to hang on in the major leagues as a knuckleball pitcher.[29]. The first is selection bias in scouting. 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. Nancy and I are deeply saddened by the news today of the passing of Phil Niekro. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In the finale, manager Billy Martin handed pitching coach duties to Joe Niekro and the ball to Phil Niekro. I've been stunned before. 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. Niekro learned his knuckler as a 12-year-old from his coal miner father in Ohio. from the SABR BioProject, Relatives: Brother ofJoe Niekro; Uncle ofLance Niekro, More Phil Niekro Pages at Baseball Reference. "[1] Bouton said, "Catchers hate it. [22], A sidearm pitcher, his pitching featured the knuckleball, which frustrated major league hitters. By 1967, Niekro was one of the top pitchers in the game, leading the NL that year with an ERA of 1.87. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. After the season, the Braves released him.[11]. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? If a seam is liable to catch a finger at any point as you release the ball, change your grip. Phil Niekro, the Hall of Fame pitcher who confounded batters with his fluttering knuckleballs . [1], In 1974, Niekro led the league in several pitching categories, including wins (20), complete games (18), and innings pitched (302.1). He was 81. in Blaine, OH Phil, trying for a fifth time to win No. Phil Niekro, the only knuckleball pitcher to win 300 Major League Baseball games, died in his sleep Saturday night after a long battle with cancer, the Atlanta Braves announced. FILE - In this 1970 file photo, Atlanta Braves' Phil Niekro poses for a photo. Associated Press. 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. On March 2, 2010, she trained with Tim Wakefield at the Boston Red Sox minor-league training facility. ATLANTA (AP) 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 . Phil Niekro showing his grip at the Baseball Hall of Fame. [12] Niekro was given the nickname "Knucksie" during his career. 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 . This couldnt be farther from the truth. Heck, he didn't even know where it was going most of the time. He never caught for Dickey again. Before the 1968 season, sportswriter Fred Down described the Braves' pitching staff as "chaotic" and reported that team leadership was planning to use Niekro as both a starter and a reliever in the coming season. Niekro was a five-time All-Star and pitched a no-hitter in 1973 against the Padres. The Braves lost the game against the San Francisco Giants 156. and he is still predominantly recognized as the premier knuckleball pitcher in the game's history. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The ball completes between one-quarter and one-half a rotation on its way from the pitcher to the batter; the position of the stitches changes as the ball travels, affecting the drag that gives the ball its motion, thus making its flight erratic. "They may not be intimidated by them, but they sure are thinking about them before they go into the box.". 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. This shooting technique is frequently used by players for long-range shots and free kicks. [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). On Sunday we learned that Phil Niekro, the greatest knuckleball pitcher in baseball history, had died of cancer the day before at age 81. Reserve your tickets, map your route, and work out all the details for your arrival in Cooperstown. He was known for his knuckleball, and had a career record of 318-274. A password reset link will be e-mailed to you. BL-1598-92 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), Phil Niekro posing with his plaque during the 1997 Hall of Fame Weekend. [18] After going 02 in three starts, the Blue Jays released Niekro. 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 . Born: He was 81. 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. Seams have texture. His 23 victories that season earned him second place in the National League Cy Young Award vote. (Josh Szot/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Phil Niekro managed the Colorado Silver Bullets baseball team from 1994-97. And take a look at your grip. At 46 years, 188 days, Niekro became the oldest pitcher to pitch a shutout in the major leagues. You can pitch seven good innings with a knuckleball, and as soon as you walk a guy they go, 'See, there's that damn knuckleball.'" And if you can throw a ball without any spin at 65-plus miles-per-hour, than youve got a great knuckleball grip. He finished sixth in Cy Young Award voting in both 1978 and 1979, and made his third All-Star appearance in 1978, as well as winning three consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1978 to 1980. He returned to Louisville in 1962 and had a 96 record. 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. On occasion, teams have traded knuckleball pitchers and their catchers in the same transaction. Hij doelde daarmee op top-knuckleballers in de Major League als Tim Wakefield en Phil Niekro . Also featured are the stories of the best knuckleball catchers, from Bob Uecker and Doug Mirabelli to Rick Ferrell and Paul Richards. He set a major league record by playing 24 seasons in the major leagues without a World Series appearance. In 24 seasons with the Braves, Yankees, Indians and Blue Jays, Niekro was 318-274 with a 3.35 ERA. ASSOCIATED . Atlanta, Sept. 27, 1987 __ Phil Niekro was in a jam. 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 passed away on Dec. 26, 2020, at the age of 81. Former knuckleballer and pitching coach Charlie Hough says that the increased rarity of the knuckleball is due to scouts increasingly looking only for the best arm. Two later pitchers, Jesse Haines and Freddie Fitzsimmons, were sometimes characterized as knuckleball pitchers even by their contemporaries, but in their cases it again refers to a harder-thrown, curving pitch that would probably not be called a knuckleball today. This record stood for nearly 25 years before Jamie Moyer (47 years, 170 days) bested the feat in May 2010. 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. [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. 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. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. His brother Joe Niekro even pays him . [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. "It comes flying in there dipping and hopping like crazy, and you just can't hit it.". 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. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters for more than two decades, mostly with the Braves, has died after a long fight with cancer, the team . Even a ball thrown without rotation will "flutter", due to the "apparent wind" it feels as its trajectory changes throughout its flight path.[5]. Following a 23-13 season in 1969 that firmly established him as one of baseballs best, the durable Niekro consistently piled up innings and perplexed batters. He pitched in the major leagues from 1964 to 1987. [20] On September 27, he made his final start of his career, pitching three innings and surrendering five runs in the no-decision. Niekro, who was born April 1, 1939, and died in 2020 at 81, excelled by using the elusive . Phil Niekro (19392020), legendary knuckleball pitcher. "[10], In 1991, Hall of Fame catcher Rick Ferrell was quoted as saying, "I think the knuckleball is fading out." (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. He'd made a living escaping such jams with a knuckleball that would . [1], From 1971 to 1973, he combined for a record of 4436. Seek out and celebrate your heroes, and explore online and in-person exhibits commemorating the history and impact of the game. 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. Phil Niekro played for 5 teams; the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays. He found both in 1967, when he was united with Bob Uecker, a veteran reserve backstop with many quips and sage advice.