📡 Hall of Fame knuckleballer Phil Niekro dies at 81

[RTB X Bot]

 

[rick4bama]

One of a few that I enjoy watching, playing the game of baseball! R.I.P. I do know while his brother Joe was with Houston, he shows a news crew how to toss a spit ball. He was still playing the game.

 

[mando]

2020 has seen some real heroes leave us. Niekro was one of the personalities people would watch when the Braves were not very good.

 

[bamafan4ever]

He had a nasty knuckler for sure. RIP Phil.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Seems I remember a few years back one of the more modern era knuckles was having trouble, maybe with the Red Sox. He shared that he got a call from Niekro out of the blue, telling him he was throwing too hard. He took his advice and the ball started floating again...years ago the Braves had a running total of Niekro HRs as a batter. He could hit, but with no power. The number was seven or eight.

I really hate it when my boyhood heroes kick. I caught, so Johnny Bench was a favorite, started catching one-handed because of him.

RTR,

Tim

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Yeah.... That knuckle ball.... and had to develop the oversize mitt to catch with....

RIP....Phil.... you had many fans...

@It Takes Eleven
Was a big Big Red Machine fan...JB was my favorite...great catcher

 

[bamafan4ever]

Seems I remember a few years back one of the more modern era knuckles was having trouble, maybe with the Red Sox. He shared that he got a call from Niekro out of the blue, telling him he was throwing too hard. He took his advice and the ball started floating again...

Tim Wakefield

 

[UAgrad93]

I have an uncle that played in the minor leagues and he told a story today about meeting and learning from Phil Niekro. He said it was A ball in Tampa and that he had a teammate, a lefty that was trying to develop a knuckleball and one of their coaches called in a favor and Niekro came in to check on him and offer some pointers. My uncle sat in because, while he had a fastball and a curve, he lacked a change up to throw off hitters. At the end of the “clinic”, my uncle had developed himself a knuckleball/change up to add to his arsenal.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I have an uncle that played in the minor leagues and he told a story today about meeting and learning from Phil Niekro. He said it was A ball in Tampa and that he had a teammate, a lefty that was trying to develop a knuckleball and one of their coaches called in a favor and Niekro came in to check on him and offer some pointers. My uncle sat in because, while he had a fastball and a curve, he lacked a change up to throw off hitters. At the end of the “clinic”, my uncle had developed himself a knuckleball/change up to add to his arsenal.

Other than Niekro being an all-around good guy to help out, I think there is a fraternity of sorts among knuckle-ballers.

Also, I went and checked Niekro's stats and he ended up with seven home runs for his career. I definitely remember a banner that kept up with his HR count at Fulton County. I also remember some resistance to his HOF candidacy over his 274 career losses; however, his 318-274 career record, with over 3,000 strikeouts, definitely warranted inclusion in the HOF. He actually has the fifth highest loss total of HOF pitchers. No offense to the pride of Clio, but Sutton was a hell of a closer call than Niekro.

RTR,

Tim

 

[alabama mike]

Loved watching him throw that nasty knuckleball.