Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland in 2017. 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. Phil Niekro shares a story with Braves fans during A Night at the Museum at the Hall of Fame. "[10], In 1991, Hall of Fame catcher Rick Ferrell was quoted as saying, "I think the knuckleball is fading out." Niekro's 318 career victories are the most by a knuckleballer and rank 16th on MLB's all-time wins list. By adding a third finger, you make the process a lot more difficult. . Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. His total of 5,404+13 innings pitched is the most by any pitcher in the post-1920 live-ball era. inFlowery Branch,GA, Buried: Phil Niekro signs autographs for fans in Cooperstown at the 2011 Hall of Fame Parade of Legends. He won 121 games after turning 40, and retired with 318 victories over the course of 5,404 innings the fourth-most all-time and the most of any pitcher whose career started in the live ball era. [12] Niekro was given the nickname "Knucksie" during his career. [7] He pitched for several minor league teams at several levels for the next few years, appearing mostly as a relief pitcher. [22], A sidearm pitcher, his pitching featured the knuckleball, which frustrated major league hitters. Richard Drew / AP file. 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. Niekro, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, was one of baseball's most prolific and durable pitchers, using his "butterfly" pitch to win 318 games in a career that spanned 24 seasons, including 21 with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. [1], In 1974, Niekro led the league in several pitching categories, including wins (20), complete games (18), and innings pitched (302.1). Stay away from them at all costs.And stay tuned for the next part of this never-ending series about knuckleball grips Theres just so much to talk about. There will be a period when they will beat the daylights out of you. [19], On September 23, 1987, Niekro signed again with his old team, the Atlanta Braves. R. A. Dickey estimates that it takes at least a year to grasp its fundamentals. Communication. Rookie Status: He reinvented pitching by adding this slow, crazy moving pitch. When was Phil Niekro born? Amazingly, he won 121 games over the age of 40 thanks to his knuckleball. (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. 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. (Voted by BBWAA on 380/473 ballots) La maledetta che sfida la fisica", "Noughty Boys: No one hit a free-kick quite like Juninho Pernambucano", "Pele to Zico to Beckham to Ronaldo: Evolution of the Free-Kick Masters", "Mestre de Pirlo, Juninho Pernambucano ensinou italiano a bater falta", "The Top 15 Best Shooters in World Football", "Bonansea: I was always daydreaming of football in class", The (Mostly) Complete List of Knuckleball Pitchers, NPR.org on the Red Sox's re-acquisition of Doug Mirabelli, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Knuckleball&oldid=1137620558, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 16:41. The Niekro brothers would face each other nine times in their career, with Joe's team winning five. In addition, Phil played American Legion Baseball. Phil Niekro was born in Blaine, OH. Phil Niekro weighed 180 lbs (81 kg) when playing. He pitched six innings of Game 2 and left with a 32 lead. By Jim Murray. In 24 seasons with the Braves, Yankees, Indians and Blue Jays, Niekro was 318-274 with a 3.35 ERA. "There aren't many hitters who like facing knuckleball pitchers," Niekro said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Nancy, sons Philip, John and Michael and his two grandchildren Chase and Emma.". 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 . Seams are you worst enemy. In 1984, Niekro signed a two-year contract with the New York Yankees. He did not throw his trademark knuckleball throughout the game until the final hitter;[13] to former AL MVP Jeff Burroughs. 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. 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. All rights reserved. He would teach his sons, Phil Jr. and Joe, the pitch when they were youngsters. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. Through Sunday he was 7-2, with an American League-leading ERA of 1.20. In the finale, manager Billy Martin handed pitching coach duties to Joe Niekro and the ball to Phil Niekro. [2] It was his third and final 20-win season and his second and final 20-loss season. Hij doelde daarmee op top-knuckleballers in de Major League als Tim Wakefield en Phil Niekro . 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. Read More 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. 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. The Hall of Fame knuckleballer died at 81 years old after a battle with cancer, his former team announced Sunday. [1] Niekro retired at the end of the season. A little more pressure from any of the fingertips and the ball spins. 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. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. pic.twitter.com/bGjFBMJZrL, Full Obituary: Atlanta Journal Constitution. The four pitchers in the hall of fame include Phil Niekro, Ted Lyons, Jesse Haines, and Hoyt Wilhelm. After the season, the Braves released him.[11]. This can be attributed to a variety of factors. The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and pick it up. Facing Jeff Burroughs, an old friend and former Braves teammate, Phil Niekro threw four pitches -- the final three knucklers. As I discussed earlier, there are a few different ways to grip the knuckleball. [1] Niekro's playoff loss came against Seaver. 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 relief for . [1] He began the year as a relief pitcher but had earned a job in the starting rotation during the season.[9]. Geno Petralli of the Texas Rangers in 1987 while trying to catch knuckleball pitcher Charlie Hough, and tied again in 2013 when Ryan Lavarnway of the Boston Red Sox had four in the first inning, catching knuckleballer Steven Wright in Wright's first major league start. During his twenty-one seasons with the Atlanta Braves, "Knucksie," as he was known, became one of the most popular players in franchise history. He played most of his many seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves alongside brief stops with the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Cleveland. Phil Knucksie Niekro used his expertise with the knuckleball pitch to win 318 games during a Hall of Fame career. 12,210th in major league history) Also featured are the stories of the best knuckleball catchers, from Bob Uecker and Doug Mirabelli to Rick Ferrell and Paul Richards. 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.". He never caught for Dickey again. So thankful for our memories and time together. April 1, 1939 Niekro was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. [14] Niekro struck Burroughs out to end the game. 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. 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. For many hitters, using a bat to try to get a hit off Phil Niekro was a farce. 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. 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 reinvented pitching by adding this slow, crazy moving pitch. [10] Another reason for the difficulty of the knuckleball is due to the network effect. Phil Niekro who hurled most of his famous knuckle balls with the Braves, died on Saturday . [20] On September 27, he made his final start of his career, pitching three innings and surrendering five runs in the no-decision. "I led the league in ERA [1.87], and he led the league in passed balls.". Sun 27 Dec 2020 13.34 EST. Niekro p 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan Phil Niekro Strikeout Leaders #206 NM HOF Nice Card! He had been diagnosed with prostate[31] cancer.[32][33]. But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 . All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. This couldnt be farther from the truth. In this March 29, 2007, file photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. He appeared in relief three times, earning two saves. In volleyball, the float serve involves hitting the volleyball in such a way to minimize the rotation of the ball, causing unpredictability in the ball's movement. 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. [32] For a catcher, a key disadvantage to using a first baseman's glove mitt is that they are not designed for easy extraction of the ball from the glove, making it harder to prevent baserunners from stealing. Many current pitchers throw a curveball using a grip with the index finger touching the ball with the knuckle or fingertip (also called a spike curve). "I was a one-pitch pitcher.". We'll miss you, Knucksie. Support provided by Market New York through I LOVE NY/ New York States Division of Tourism as a part of the Regional Economic Development Council awards. Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1997. [1], In 1983, he went 1110 and won his fifth Gold Glove Award. [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). Heck, he didn't even know where it was going most of the time. 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. Phil Niekro was a legendary Hall of Fame pitcher known for his knuckleball pitch, who played for the Braves most of his career. Show your love of the game and play a part in preserving past and ensuring the future of the Baseball Hall of Fame. 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. 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. Phil Niekro achieved . 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. Other names for the knuckleball have generally alluded to its motion and slower speed. [2] Other accounts attribute the pitch's creation to Charles H. Druery, a pitcher in the Blue Ridge League. Ralph Kiner compared Niekro's special pitch to "watching Mario Andretti park a car". Shipping speed. Phil Niekro fashioned a long, successful sports career by mastering the most confounding pitch in the history of baseballthe knuckleball. [43][44][45][46][47] This technique has also been used and even adapted by several other players, such as Andrea Pirlo,[48][39] Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo,[49] Didier Drogba,[49] Marcus Rashford, Gareth Bale,[38] and Barbara Bonansea. Ferrell knew knuckleballs: he had the task of being the Washington Senators catcher in 194445, when the Senators had four knuckleball pitchers in their starting rotation. His younger brother Joe was also a Major League pitcher, who won more than 200 games. He was the best knuckleball pitcher in baseball history. 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. Phil Niekro (19392020), legendary knuckleball pitcher. He took the mound for nearly a quarter of a century using the arm-saving pitch. [14], Another factor contributing to the rarity of the knuckleball is the difficulty of throwing the pitch. Hoyt Wilhelm, Phil Niekro, and Jesse Haines, three pitchers who primarily relied on the knuckleball, have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. [3][4] He was of Polish descent. Exceeded rookie limits during 1965 season, View Player Bio 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. [9] He appeared in 37 games, finishing with a 1412 record and 15 complete games. [21] Mickey Jannis of the Baltimore Orioles organization also throws the knuckleball, and made his major league debut on June 23, 2021. [2] If a knuckleball does not change direction in mid-flight, however, then it is easy to hit due to its lack of speed. Phil, trying for a fifth time to win No. I don't think of his 318 wins. 5.0. I feel like I'm surrounded by family, Niekro said of his many trips to Cooperstown. He's the toast of two towns, New York andha-haAtlanta, and he has even been dubbed St. Knucksie. At 46 years, 188 days, Niekro became the oldest pitcher to pitch a shutout in the major leagues. vs. SFG 3.0 IP, 6 H, 0 SO, 6 BB, 5 ER. 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. "Phil Niekro was one of the most distinctive and memorable pitchers of his generation," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. 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. 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. [50], This article is about the baseball pitch. Phil Niekro threw a pitch that baffled hitters and catchers. [2], Pitchers like Bouton have found success as knuckleballers after their ability to throw hard declined. Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters for more than two decades . In 1979, Phil, pitching for the Braves, and Joe, for the Astros, tied for the most victories in the National League, with 21 each. 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. September 27, 1987 Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. Knuckleball pitchers can throw more innings than other pitchers, and, requiring less time to recover after pitching, can pitch more frequently. According to Adair, the 150ms minimum human reaction time may be too slow to adjust to a knuckleball's changing direction.[2]. 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. ATLANTA (AP) Phil Niekro threw a pitch that baffled hitters and catchers. [6], Niekro signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1959 for $250 ($2,324 in current dollar terms). in Blaine, OH 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. Atlanta, Sept. 27, 1987 __ Phil Niekro was in a jam. "[1] Bouton said, "Catchers hate it. 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. Niekro joined Lou Brock, Whitey Ford, Bob Gibson, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan and Tom Seaver as Hall of Famers who died in 2020 -- the most ever to pass away in a calendar year, according to Hall of Fame spokesman Jon Shestakofsky.