| Phil Niekro | |
|---|---|
 Niekro with the Atlanta Braves in 1974 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: April 1, 1939 Blaine, Ohio, U.S. | |
| Died: December 26, 2020 (aged 81) Flowery Branch, Georgia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 15, 1964, for the Milwaukee Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1987, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 318–274 |
| Earned run average | 3.35 |
| Strikeouts | 3,342 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1997 |
| Vote | 80.3% (fifth ballot) |
Philip Henry Niekro (/ˈniːkroʊ/ NEE-kroh; April 1, 1939 – December 26, 2020), nicknamed "Knucksie",[1] was an American baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. Niekro is generally regarded as the greatest knuckleball pitcher of all time.[2][3][4]
During his career, Niekro was selected to five All-Star teams, led the National League in victories twice (in 1974 and 1979), led the major leagues in earned run average once (in 1967), and won the National League Gold Glove Award five times. As of 2024, Niekro ranks 16th on MLB's all-time wins list with 318 career victories;[5] as of 2024, he is the only knuckleballer to win 300 or more major league games.[3] Niekro and his younger brother Joe amassed 539 wins between them; as of 2013, the Niekros had the most combined wins by brothers in baseball history.[6] As of 2023, Niekro also holds the major league record with 121 career victories after the age of 40.[7]
Niekro was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
BRwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Kepner, Tyler (December 28, 2020). "Saying Goodbye to the Knuckleball, and Its Master". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Adler, David (January 4, 2022). "Here are the best knuckleballers of all time". MLB.com.
- ^ Sibor, Douglas (May 12, 2012). "MLB: Ranking the 10 Greatest Knuckleballers of All Time". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Career Leaders & Records for Wins". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
- ^ Mead, Doug (May 7, 2012). "25 Best Brother Pitching Acts in MLB History". Bleacher Report.
- ^ Haft, Chris (April 1, 2022). "Knuckleball paved Phil Niekro's path to Hall". MLB.com.