Phil Niekro Jr., his father, was in an intensive care unit in Wheeling, West Virginia. He was a constant presence over the years, in our clubhouse, our alumni activities and throughout Braves Country and we will forever be grateful for having him be such an important part of our organization, the Braves said in a statement. He went 11 with a 10.03 ERA in 11.2 innings. His complete games pitched dropped from 16 to nine as he also led the league in wild pitches with 14 and faced a career-high 1,113 batters. On June 7, he was drafted in the third round of the draft by the Chicago Cubs. Justin Toscano is the Braves beat writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [22], A sidearm pitcher, his pitching featured the knuckleball, which frustrated major league hitters. J.J. Niekro lost his dad Joe unexpectedly to a brain aneurysm when he was just eight years old. Its a big part of my Catholic faith. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. If I hadnt have lost my dad I wouldnt be the type of guy I was today. Niekro was inducted into Baseballs Hall of Fame in 1997. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Evans Chebet and Hellen Obiri give Kenya a Boston Marathon sweep, USWNT standout Julie Ertz joins Angel City FC on a one-year contract. Now they are all joined again, father and sons, resuming that game of catch. Free shipping for many products! J.J. Niekros story is one of a kid forced to grow up and be the man of the house, of a fatherless child whose male role models became his uncle, brother and best friends dads. To 8-year-old J.J., everything seemed normal. He spent the next season with the Class AA Austin Senators. 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. WebKnuckleball paved Phil Niekro's path to Hall. us, Died: [21], At the age of 48, Niekro was the oldest player in major league history to play regularly until Julio Franco played at age 49 in 2007. Even if I pitch the best game of my life, its like the next day, how do I come back? 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 passed away in his sleep on Saturday night. "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.. We got until one out in the ninth with a no-hitter. My son was excited to get this baseball card! [1], From 1971 to 1973, he combined for a record of 4436. We were listening to baseball radio on the way to school, J.J. recalled, and I never got to say goodbye to him.. He did not throw his trademark knuckleball throughout the game until the final hitter;[13] to former AL MVP Jeff Burroughs. Do you have a sports website? In three seasons with Detroit, he went 2122, having his best season in 1970 by going 1213, although he had a 4.06 ERA in 213 innings, with a high of 101 strikeouts. Knucksie. Just because Niekro threw an exotic pitch didnt mean that he was any less a proud athlete. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. I know he wanted to pitch, and I dont remember exactly what happened. [1], In 1980 and 1981, he went 1518 and 77 while leading the league in games started (38) and losses (18) in 1980. He struggled early in his career before picking up the knuckleball. If youre shopping for top products on the market, here are the best 14 products the BestReviews Testing Lab loved in March. He grew up in Lansing. Soon after the final bell rang at the end of the day, J.J. received his first clue something might be amiss as his best friends family picked him up and took him home. Is Jalen Carter the real deal or a potential NFL bust? Phil, conversely, spent 21 seasons with the Braves as part of a Hall of Fame career. Memorial Park South Cemetery, Flowery Branch, GA, High School: Bridgeport HS (Bridgeport, OH), Debut: That was our nickname for each other. He attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and was a boyhood friend of Basketball Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek. However, the Cardinals scored two late runs after Niekro left the game and would eventually sweep the series. All Rights Reserved. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. We've expanded our play-by-play data for the 1914, 1921, 1922, and 1923 seasons. Bumgarner y Kershaw solamente se encuentran detrs de Tom Seaver/Steve Carlton (17), Steve Rogers/Carlton (17) y Don Sutton/Phil Niekro (15). It was the sixth and final time he faced 1,000 batters. Talk about a weird assist: 253 on a strikeout. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Niekro was traded along with Gary Ross and Frankie Librn from the Cubs to the expansion San Diego Padres for Dick Selma on April 24, 1969. 35 years later, he has held onto the record, as Roy Oswalt fell one win short of tying him for the record. Didnt make it as a starter until the following season. Niekro and his younger brother Joe amassed 539 wins between them, the most combined wins by brothers in baseball history. A diving snag by should-be-Hall of Famer Dale Murphy in center. I was playing in an old-timers game when he was pitching in Cleveland. That kept the ball from spinning, causing it to move in all sorts He was such a generous and loving man, he says, so I love to share his story whenever I can. The same can be said for his uncle, Phil, a Braves legend who died in 2020. Report; Twins, Lpez agree to 4-year, $73.5M extension, A's fans planning 'reverse boycott' for June 13, Mets call up top prospect Baty after hot AAA start, Yanks' Stanton (hamstring) lands on injured list, Mets' Scherzer (back) misses Sunday start vs. A's. Joe, best known for his time with the Houston Astros franchise, pitched in parts of two seasons with Atlanta back in the '70s. Here are 22 essential L.A. spots for every tourist, Column: We cant afford another writers strike. I certainly had a lot to do with that, but that wasnt the reason. Niekro is related to a pair of former Braves pitchers: he's the son of Joe and the nephew of Phil. Phil Niekro played for 5 teams; the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays. The suburban Atlanta resident had a [8] In his penultimate year with the Astros, he went 1612 with a 3.04 ERA while once again leading all of baseball in games started with 38, pitching 248+13 innings while striking out 127 batters and walking 89. The elder Niekro passed it on to his son, who learned to grip the ball with his fingernails on the seams. [1] He began the year as a relief pitcher but had earned a job in the starting rotation during the season.[9]. Baseball people often didnt know exactly what to make of his signature pitch, and what they were uncertain of, they mistrusted. . His son believes his fathers talent mightve been overlooked. Niekro passed away in his sleep on Saturday night. [13], While pitching for the Twins earlier in the 1987 season, Niekro was caught ball scuffing. vs. SFG 3.0 IP, 6 H, 0 SO, 6 BB, 5 ER. "[25] Uecker also said humorously of the pitch, "The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and pick it up. After his pitching career, Niekro was the manager and general manager of the Colorado Silver Bullets, a barnstorming womens baseball team that played against mens He sucked the life out of every day that he lived. Although Phil Niekro Sr. did not live to see his son's election to the Hall, he did live more than long enough to know that his son won that 300th game. He was released by the Twins on May 4, 1988. 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 Joe, best known for his time with the Houston Astros franchise, And it continued to perplex catchers as well as hitters from that point forward. Joe threw harder than his brother Phil and could set up batters nearly as effectively with his fastball in combination with his excellent changeup. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, April 17, 1:15AM. Say goodbye to my dad, goodbye to my uncle, now its time to live out their tradition and legacy, J.J. said. He was of Polish descent. He gave Joe a day off., Bruce Benedict: I remember opposing hitters coming up to me and saying you know what, we only face him three or four times a year, Im not going to mess my swing up trying to hit this thing. In his two seasons with the Braves, he went a combined total of 56 while having a 3.76 ERA and 67 innings pitched. On August 5, 1973, Niekro threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres, the first for the Braves since moving to Atlanta. Terry Bross, who plays center for the St. Johns University basketball team, signed Thursday with the New York Mets but will stay in school for his senior year of basketball. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. In 1984, Niekro signed a two-year contract with the New York Yankees. [15], After two seasons in New York, Niekro pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1986. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. If I hit it, I hit it. I just take pride in the type of people they were, Niekro said. Even now, decades after his career ended, Phil ranks second in Braves franchise history in games started; third in shutouts; fifth in complete games; and third in Wins Above Replacement for pitchers (per Baseball Reference's calculations), trailing only Kid Nichols and Warren Spahn. Getting cut from a team he had served for more than two decades did not sit well. Steve Hummer writes sports features and columns for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Some games when he went out there, if he kept shaking you off and you didnt put down something else other than a knuckleball, hed throw whatever he wanted to throw anyway. Mr. Niekro was born in 1923 and raised his children by his wife, Nancy Farrand Niekro, whom he married 54 years later. And I asked him if he actually said that or felt that way. It was such a privilege.. You either caught em or you didnt.. He attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and was a boyhood friend of Basketball Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek. All of them fond. Niekro is survived by his wife, Nancy, sons Philip, John and Michael, and two grandchildren, Chase and Emma. He was of Polish descent. And regrets it still. (Chasing pitches that got away) I saw their folks more during the game than they did the whole weekend.. He enjoyed a breakout season in '67, when he posted a Major League-low 1.87 ERA over 46 appearances (20 starts). "[26], After the end of his professional baseball career, Niekro managed the all-women Colorado Silver Bullets baseball team. Niekro is related to a pair of former Braves pitchers: he's the son of Joe and the nephew of Phil. Two sons, Philip Henry Jr. and Joseph Franklin, would follow. One friends dad showed J.J. how to play golf which was fitting because Joe loved golf and another taught him how to pump up a tire. What made Niekros knuckler unique was that he threw it harder than most and still maintained the lack of spin that made it so capricious. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for Lot of 3 1994 SEALED Coors Baseball Cards Phil Niekro Vivian Holm at the best online prices at eBay! Do you have a blog? Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Not Hollywood, not L.A., not the country, At 19, he won a local school board seat. Niekro was inducted into Baseballs Hall of Fame in 1997. 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 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. NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WJBF) You wake up, youre a professional baseball player, youre a Brave, the team you wanted to be with your entire life, J.J. Niekro, son of longtime Major League pitcher Joe Niekro and nephew of Braves Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, said during a break while working out before Tuesday nights Augusta GreenJackets game. Those balls didn't have the normal nick. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for Lot of 3 1994 SEALED Coors Baseball Cards Phil Niekro Vivian Holm at the best online prices at eBay! For fans, Joe and Phil Niekro are two of the most successful pitchers ever to play the game and the winningest brother duo in baseball history. Umpire Tim Tschida told the story in 2021, "Niekro already was a known ball scuffer, of course, and rather than tossing balls out of play, I was putting them in my extra pouch in case we needed evidence. [16] Steve Palermo was the umpire that spotted the flying objects. 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. An emery board and a piece of sandpaper flew out of his pocket. I remember (Hall of Fame second baseman Joe) Morgan came to the park one day and saw (Niekros) name in the lineup, and he went in and told (manager) Sparky Anderson he didnt want to hit off him cause it put him in a slump for two days. He said hes always been a bulldog on the mound, someone who attacks the zone and dares hitters to beat him. So, it really helped me be thankful for an opportunity like this.. His mom or dad almost always got him. 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. If I dont, I dont.. [17] Tschida revealed in 2021 that "[Joe] had a hunk of sandpaper trimmed and glued to the palm of his left hand. (We could be watching grass grow, and he could find a way to make you laugh, J.J. said). All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. After the season, the Braves released him.[11]. [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. And when he wanted the extra movement, he would take off the glove and rub the baseball as if he was trying to improve the grip. Niekro was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, and attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio and West Liberty University in West Liberty, West Virginia. 7/14/2021 at 10:21 PM 7/14/2021 at 10:21 PM MLB remembers Hall of Famers lost in the past year. Niekro was born in Blaine, Ohio, and grew up in Lansing, Ohio, the son of Henrietta (Klinkoski) and Philip Niekro. Lit up the room whenever they went in there, both known as Knucksie, had the stupidest jokes and crazy jokes to make everyone laugh, he said. As J.J. Niekro has spent this week at the clubs Spring Training complex, he has regularly seen pictures and tributes to his uncle Phil, who passed away on Dec. 27, 2020. Following his baseball career, he managed the Colorado Silver Bullets, an all-women's baseball team, in the late 1990s. His 221 career wins make him one of the most successful knuckleball pitchers of all time. At that age and at a pivotal point, he definitely couldve gone either way and probably nobody wouldve blamed him if he wouldve gone the wrong way, Lance said over the phone. Niekro is survived by his wife, Nancy, sons Philip, John and Michael, and two grandchildren, Chase and Emma. He was 81. 6-1 , 180lb (185cm, 81kg) Born: April 1, 1939 in Blaine, OH. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. He married another Polish immigrant orphaned young, Henrietta Ivy Klinkoski. The world was always slow to come around to the son of an Ohio coal miner. He then fulfilled his wish to retire as a Brave. His aunt lives in the Augusta area. Skoronskis short arm length being scrutinized for left tackle, 5 things we learned from Georgias G-Day game, 5 observations from Georgia Techs spring game, Max Fried dazzles in return as Braves beat Padres in series opener, Braves activate Max Fried, reliever Lucas Luetge hits injured list, AJC Braves Report podcast: Its six in a row for the Braves. Its just so cool. [1] Niekro retired at the end of the season. [11] In his three seasons with New York, he went 1415 with a 4.58 ERA in 188.2 total innings. In 1979, the 40-year-old Niekro led the league in both wins (21) and losses (20). J.J. Niekro is the son of Joe Niekro and the nephew of Phil Niekro. He appeared in Game 2 of the 1981 National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, pitching eight scoreless innings, although Joe Sambito ended up being the winning pitcher for the Astros as they won in the 11th inning, though the Dodgers would win the series in five games. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. Is Jalen Carter the real deal or a potential NFL bust? He exemplified kindness and generosity, something his son picked up. Common to all those who caught Niekro and knew him best as a ballplayer was just what a fine teammate and decent fellow he was. View Phil Niekro's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). The legendary knuckleballer had been battling cancer in recent years. His daughter, Natalie, Web Philip Henry Niekro, 1939 41 - 2020 1226 . 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. Wed obviously always liked that.. [5] He reached the 1,000 strikeout plateau on April 19, doing so on a strikeout bunt by Vance Law. I've been stunned before. For anybody to be a part of that was special.. 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