Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro (born April 1, 1939), nicknamed "Knucksie" because of his usage and skill level with the knuckleball, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
A native of Blaine, Ohio, Niekro attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and was a boyhood friend of NBA Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek. Phil and his younger brother, fellow major league pitcher Joe Niekro, learned to throw a knuckleball from their father, Joe Niekro, Sr., in their backyard as kids.
Niekro's 318 career victories are the most by a knuckleball pitcher, and he currently ranks 16th on the overall all-time wins list. He also won the National League Gold Glove Award five times. Phil and Joe Niekro amassed 539 wins between them, the most combined wins by brothers in baseball history. Phil Niekro's 121 career victories after the age of 40 is a major league record, and his longevity is attributed to the knuckleball, which, while a difficult pitch for pitchers to master, is easy on the arm and often baffles hitters due to its fluttering trajectory. He is also the uncle of former first baseman and pitcher Lance Niekro. The baseball field in Phil's hometown of Bridgeport, Ohio has been named Niekro Diamond in honor of Phil and Joe Niekro.
Read more about Phil Niekro: Career With The Braves, Career After The Braves, Post-playing Career, Quotations, Career Statistics