OT: Phil Niekro dead at 81

[Harvard Gamecock]

The King of the Knuckleball.
My wife had a chance to meet him several years ago. She was trying to set up the blender for a company event, he walked up and offered to help, and never let on of who he was. Later, when he's introduced as the guest speaker is when she found out who he was.
She said he was just as nice as could be, and no pretensions. Good Guy

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...l-niekro-famous-signature-knuckleball-dies-81

 

[ClemDent]

Well $hit. Sad to hear. Damn you 2020! Damn you.

 

[Dizzy01]

Was a big fan of Knucksie as a kid. Thought it was hilarious this old man was striking out dudes with a junk ball.

 

[mickmick7]

Phil Niekro's glove he gave me over 40 years ago. then took the time to inscribe it to me..

 

[jeff2001]

 

[jeff2001]

I got to say I was a bigger Braves fan than Gamecock fan back in the early 80s.
Niekro
Murphy
Horner

 

[jeff2001]

 

[jeff2001]

View embedded media

Phil Niekro's glove he gave me over 40 years ago. then took the time to inscribe it to me..

Dude that is awesome.

 

[fowl_mood]

Everyone of us little leaguers in the seventies were trying to throw that knuckleball. Imagine our horror when we found out some folks threw it with their fingernails. Knucksie was an original.

 

[world famous 3rd base hecklers]

Collector Profile: Thrown for a Knuckler

Collector Profile: Thrown for a Knuckler

A teenage connection through charitable efforts leads to a life-long friendship between a real estate developer and Phil Niekro. Plus, a great, true, story about the healing power of baseball involving the Niekro family.

sportscollectorsdigest.com

 

[USCLaw85]

Was a big fan of Knucksie as a kid. Thought it was hilarious this old man was striking out dudes with a junk ball.

24 year career ! knuckleballers last forever

 

[mickmick7]

Collector Profile: Thrown for a Knuckler

Collector Profile: Thrown for a Knuckler

A teenage connection through charitable efforts leads to a life-long friendship between a real estate developer and Phil Niekro. Plus, a great, true, story about the healing power of baseball involving the Niekro family.

sportscollectorsdigest.com

Just got off the phone with Dooley Womack who told me the story of their friendship. Dooley was at that 50th birthday party..

 

[Bear_Rooster]

Everyone of us little leaguers in the seventies were trying to throw that knuckleball. Imagine our horror when we found out some folks threw it with their fingernails. Knucksie was an original.

As a teenager, I played tournament softball with a pick up team. One of the older guys on the team was a knuckleball pitcher when he was younger. We were warming up before a game once, and he started throwing knuckleballs to me. I got hit in the forehead by one of them trying to catch it. I never caught a one 😂. Dadgum ball looked like a dove or a duck flying through the air dodging shotgun blasts🤣

 

[world famous 3rd base hecklers]

Just got off the phone with Dooley Womack who told me the story of their friendship. Dooley was at that 50th birthday party..

John is my cousin and he has great memorabilia of Phil, Braves, and everything Gamecocks...

 

[CockofEarle]

The King of the Knuckleball.
My wife had a chance to meet him several years ago. She was trying to set up the blender for a company event, he walked up and offered to help, and never let on of who he was. Later, when he's introduced as the guest speaker is when she found out who he was.
She said he was just as nice as could be, and no pretensions. Good Guy

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...l-niekro-famous-signature-knuckleball-dies-81

Early Phil remembrance:
Growing in Gvl it can be a spur of the morning call

Can’t recall exact yr, but early-mid 70’s & astros were in for a weekend series.
As the rotations worked out Phil was gonna pitch vs joe on sat......got up and decided to go.......I as was to later find out sometime after Friday game it was decided the brothers won’t pitch vs each other.

Hadn’t brought a lot of money (expected to be back home that night), with me but when they said both aces would pitch Mother’s Day Sunday.....Phil vs jr Richard..........I had to spend the night......without a toothbrush even!

And to top it off, I was one of those types who got there early enough to scout the ticket booths........”would you like to sit behind mr turner.”......turns out GM John mullin skipped the game to be with his mother & I was a right place ........I’ve got some great photos of a bare chested beer drinking teddy boy spitting red man with Phil in background