Phil Niekro, 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. 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.
He played for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves (1964–1983), New York Yankees (1984–1985), Cleveland Indians (1986–1987), Toronto Blue Jays (1987), and Atlanta Braves again in 1987. He was a 5× All-Star selection (1969, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1984), 5× Gold Glove Award winner (1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983), winner of the 1980 Roberto Clemente Award, and winner of the 1979 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. He pitched a no-hitter on August 5, 1973 and his
Atlanta Braves #35 jersey is retired.
