He would teach his sons, Phil Jr. and Joe, the pitch when they were youngsters. As I discussed earlier, there are a few different ways to grip the knuckleball. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy. In 1979, Phil, pitching for the Braves, and Joe, for the Astros, tied for the most victories in the National League, with 21 each. When I think of Phil Niekro, two things come to mind. 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. A reporter once noted that Phil is 48 but you'd never know it. 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. Hall Of Famer Phil Niekro, Known For His Knuckleball, Dies At 81 So thankful for our memories and time together. 11/19/2013 added GIFs for Tim Wakefield, Charlie Hough and Phil Niekro 1/2/2013 added RA Dickey knuckleball slomotion from FanGraphs. (Josh Szot/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Phil Niekro managed the Colorado Silver Bullets baseball team from 1994-97. [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). [1] A pitcher who throws knuckleballs is known as a knuckleballer. At 46 years, 188 days, Niekro became the oldest pitcher to pitch a shutout in the major leagues. Philip Henry Niekro was born on April 1, 1939, in Blaine, Ohio. (Doug McWilliams/National baseball Hall of Fame and Museum). 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. [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. [20] On September 27, he made his final start of his career, pitching three innings and surrendering five runs in the no-decision. 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. He found both in 1967, when he was united with Bob Uecker, a veteran reserve backstop with many quips and sage advice. Baseball Hall of Fame and Atlanta Braves pitcher Phil Niekro has died Exploring Phil Niekro's Minor League career | MiLB.com Jim Bouton said, "coaches don't respect it. Phil Niekro dug his fingernails into the baseballs seams and carved out a legend eventually earning a plaque in Cooperstown. [10], Coaches have also been seen as a barrier to succeeding with the knuckleball. The knuckleball is somewhat of a lost art, a pitch with slower speed that moves oddly and is hard for hitters to predict the trajectory. 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. If a seam is liable to catch a finger at any point as you release the ball, change your grip. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. But the knuckleball carried Niekro to more than 300 . Burroughs struck out, giving the Yankees an 8-0 victory and Niekro his milestone. Phil Niekro showing his grip at the Baseball Hall of Fame. 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. He set a major league record by playing 24 seasons in the major leagues without a World Series appearance. 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.". [14], Another factor contributing to the rarity of the knuckleball is the difficulty of throwing the pitch. The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and pick it up. The Polish and Ohio Valley Origins of Hall of Famer Phil Niekro (1939 Where was Phil Niekro born? The Hall said in an announcement Sunday that Niekro died overnight. 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 . The first is selection bias in scouting. Historically, the term "knuckle curve" had a usage that was different from what it has in the game today. All three fingers. December 27, 2020 from the SABR BioProject, Relatives: Brother ofJoe Niekro; Uncle ofLance Niekro, More Phil Niekro Pages at Baseball Reference. However, young pitchers with smaller hands tend to throw the knuckleball with their knuckles. He was 81. 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. Phil Niekro 1964-1983, 1987 (88.5 WAR) . [15], After two seasons in New York, Niekro pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1986. [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's catchers reflect on his pitching career - ajc [33] It was tied by AMA! April 1st, 2022. 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. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. [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. This is a difficult task. I don't think of his 318 wins. There will be a period when they will beat the daylights out of you. In this March 29, 2007, file photo, Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro holds a knuckleball which he used to pitch well into his 40s. [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. The nice thing about Phil Niekro is, he doesn't look his age. If you have any question, please contact me at knuckleballnation@gmail.com, Monday Friday: 10am 9pmSaturday: 10am 4pm, Copyright OceanWP Knuckleball Nation. And if you can throw a ball without any spin at 65-plus miles-per-hour, than youve got a great knuckleball grip. "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. [30], On December 26, 2020, Niekro died in his sleep at age 81. [1] Niekro's playoff loss came against Seaver. [17] When, in 2012, R. A. Dickey became the first Cy Young Award-winning knuckleball pitcher, he called the award "a victory for the knuckleball fraternity", and of the dozens of phone calls he received after the announcement, Niekro's was the only one he answered. 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. And todays two tips are all about reducing those variables. 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. They hold the record for most combined wins by siblings in a career with 539. While he was briefly promoted to the Class AAA Louisville Colonels in 1960, he spent the rest of that season pitching for the Jacksonville Braves. 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. Phil Niekro, Hall of Fame pitcher, dies at the age of 81 | CNN He looks much older. Rookie Status: It hit me in the shinguard, bounced out to Clete Boyer at third base and he threw out the runner at first. Since it typically only travels 60 to 70 miles per hour (97 to 113km/h),[7] far slower than the average major league fastball 85 to 95 miles per hour (137 to 153km/h), it can be hit very hard if there is no movement. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Phil Niekro played 24 . He reinvented pitching by adding this slow, crazy moving pitch. $2.49 . 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. The history of the knuckleball, baseball's most difficult pitch 1978 TOPPS # 206 STRIKEOUT LEADERS NIEKRO RYAN NICE CARD | eBay Phil Niekro fashioned a long, successful sports career by mastering the most confounding pitch in the history of baseballthe knuckleball. 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. [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. They hold the record for most combined wins by siblings in a career with 539. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. This can be attributed to a variety of factors. He reinvented pitching by adding this slow, crazy moving pitch. 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. Back Where He Belonged 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. Phil Niekro achieved . Associated Press. Niekro, Phil | Baseball Hall of Fame Find out more. "We are heartbroken on the passing of our treasured friend, Phil Niekro," the Braves said in a statement. 5.0. As a mentor, leader and friend, Phil brought out the best in all of us in Cooperstown. in Blaine, OH "We are . Do you have a sports website? Many people, including pros, think that the pitch is thrown with fingertips dug into the seams. Baseball Hall Of Famer, Knuckleballer Phil Niekro Dies At 81 Niekro, who was born April 1, 1939, and died in 2020 at 81, excelled by using the elusive . And take a look at your grip. Thats a long phrase, but it is an important one to learn, A solid knuckleball grip with no fatal flaws. Baseball Hall of Famer, knuckleballer Phil Niekro dies at 81 - WKMG Since it developed during a period when the spitball was legal and commonly used, and was similarly surprising in its motion, the knuckleball was sometimes called the "dry spitter". Subscribe to the weekly newsletter for all the latest updates. A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. 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. His younger brother Joe was also a Major League pitcher, who won more than 200 games. He finished the 1985 season with a 1612 record, the final time he won 15 or more games in a single season. After work hours guitarist, DJ, record label owner and New York style pizza aficionado. 1978 Topps #206 Strikeout Leaders Phil Niekro Nolan Ryan - Nice Card. 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 . When thrown well with little to no spin, the ball feels like it slips out of your palm. On Sunday we learned that Phil Niekro, the greatest knuckleball pitcher in baseball history, had died of cancer the day before at age 81. You do not push a knuckleball with the fingers. The asymmetric drag that results tends to deflect the trajectory toward the side with the stitches. [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. "But even more than his signature pitch and trademark durability, Phil will be remembered as one of our game's most genial people. Bases loaded, nobody out, a lead slipping away. 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. Atlanta, Sept. 27, 1987 __ Phil Niekro was in a jam. Talk about a weird assist: 253 on a strikeout. Tim Wakefield argues that "The problem is that [baseball] is so radar gun-oriented." He never caught for Dickey again. Phil Niekro was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1997. 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 . $5.98 + $1.98 shipping. "There aren't many hitters who like facing knuckleball pitchers," Niekro said. Phil Niekro, who rode his knuckleball to 318 wins and a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame, has died at 81 of cancer. "[26], After the end of his professional baseball career, Niekro managed the all-women Colorado Silver Bullets baseball team. But because the pitch is so difficult to throw, even on a good day, you want to reduce as many variables as possible. Nobody likes to warm up with you." Phil Niekro won 318 games over his 24-year big league career. Phil Niekro (1939-2020), legendary knuckleball pitcher When Mr. Niekro was 40 years old in 1979 he threw 23 complete games - nowadays it is rare to see a pitcher even throw 1 or 2 complete 9 inning games during a typical season. The fingertip grip is more commonly used today by knuckleball pitchers, like retired Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, who had a knuckleball with a lot of movement. 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). Heck, he didn't even know where it was going most of the time. We present them here for purely educational purposes. [8], Niekro led the league with a 1.87 ERA in 1967, earning an 119 record with 10 complete games and 9 saves. ", "Knuckleballers' paths as tricky as the pitch", "MLB pitchers setting velocity records, altering balance of power", "Knuckleball life comes full circle for Wakefield", "Japan's 'Knuckle Princess' Arrives in U.S.", "Knuckleball pitchers may be a dying breed", "The art of the mysterious knuckleball is on the verge of extinction", "Wakefield, Dickey share a unique relationship", "R. A. Dickey calls Cy Young Award a victory for all knuckleballers", "Knuckleballer Mickey Jannis Making His MLB Debut at Age 33 Is So Cool", "Frazier breaks out knuckler in pitching debut", "You knew Wade Boggs could hit, but did you also know he had a nasty knuckleball? [1], From 1971 to 1973, he combined for a record of 4436. KNUCKSIE HASN'T LOST HIS GRIP - Sports Illustrated Niekro was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 and served on the Museums Board of Directors since 2009. None of them succeeded to the extent . Niekro was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. This is the magical village of the U.S.A., Craig Muder is the director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Phil Niekro was 6-1 (185 cm) tall. His success eventually forced the team to take a chance on a knuckleballer as a starting pitcher. Additionally, Ted Lyons, another member of the Hall of Fame, relied heavily on the knuckleball after injuring his arm in 1931. BL-1598-92 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), Phil Niekro posing with his plaque during the 1997 Hall of Fame Weekend. inFlowery Branch,GA, Buried: A successful knuckleball shot will move, dip, or wobble in the air unpredictably, making it difficult for the goalkeeper to save. R. A. Dickey estimates that it takes at least a year to grasp its fundamentals. [50], This article is about the baseball pitch. They clawed against each other as mound opponents, with Joe defeating his big brother 5-4 in their careers. Phil Niekro shares a story with Braves fans during A Night at the Museum at the Hall of Fame. Hoyt Wilhelm, Phil Niekro, and Jesse Haines, three pitchers who primarily relied on the knuckleball, have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Phil Niekro who hurled most of his famous knuckle balls with the Braves, died on Saturday . [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. [2] It was his third and final 20-win season and his second and final 20-loss season. In 1979, the 40-year-old Niekro led the league in both wins (21) and losses (20). He took the mound for nearly a quarter of a century using the arm-saving pitch. Phil Niekro, a pitcher who used his signature knuckleball to fool generations of hitters and craft a Hall of Fame career, died Saturday night in his sleep after a long battle with cancer, the Atlanta Braves announced Sunday. Keep up with headlines and events at the Baseball Hall of Fame, and see who will be taking their place in history next. Phil, trying for a fifth time to win No. 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.
