Joe Niekro

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Joe Niekro" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Joe Niekro
Niekro in 1976
Pitcher
Born: (1944-11-07)November 7, 1944 Martins Ferry, Ohio, U.S.
Died: October 27, 2006(2006-10-27) (aged 61) Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 16, 1967, for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
April 29, 1988, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	221–204
Earned run average	3.59
Strikeouts	1,747
Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1967–1969) San Diego Padres (1969) Detroit Tigers (1970–1972) Atlanta Braves (1973–1974) Houston Astros (1975–1985) New York Yankees (1985–1987) Minnesota Twins (1987–1988)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1979) World Series champion (1987) NL wins leader (1979) Houston Astros Hall of Fame

Joseph Franklin Niekro (/ˈniːkroʊ/ NEE-kroh; November 7, 1944 – October 27, 2006) was an American professional baseball pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1967 to 1988 for seven different teams, primarily for the Houston Astros.

He was the younger brother of pitcher Phil Niekro, and the father of former Major League first baseman Lance Niekro. Niekro was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio,^[1] and attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and West Liberty University in West Liberty, West Virginia.