Showing posts with label Phil Niekro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phil Niekro. Show all posts

Sunday, December 27, 2020

RIP - Phil Niekro

 
Phil Niekro, a knuckleballer who pitched mostly for the Braves, passed away on December 26, 2020 at age 81.
Niekro pitched for the Braves from 1964-1983, but did not become a starter until midway through the 1967 season.  That year, he led the NL with a 1.87 ERA.
 
He had a career-best 23 wins in 1969, and led the NL in wins in 1974 (20) and 1979 (21). Niekro also had a league-high 262 strikeouts in 1977, and won 5 Gold Gloves between 1978 and 1983.
 
After 20 seasons with the Braves, he was (incredibly) released after the 1983 season.  The Yankees quickly signed him and he reeled off two 16-win seasons with them, including his 5th trip to the All-Star game.

Niekro played the final 2 seasons of his 24-year career with the Indians, Blue Jays, and Braves.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997. He is the 7th member of the Hall to pass away in 2020. 
  

 

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Oh, Brother!


Here are some of the brothers who played ball in the 1960s.

The only 3-brother combo in the 1960s was Felipe, Matty, and Jesus Alou, who all came up with the Giants before scattering elsewhere. Jesus made his major-league debut in a September call-up in 1963, Felipe's last season in San Fran. With someone named Willie Mays on hand, chances for an all-Alou outfield were slim, but they managed to all play together one time.


Hank and Tommie Aaron hit more home runs than any other brother duo, with 768 (755 by Hank).


The Boyers cornered the 3rd base market in New York City in 1966. The brothers were 3rd base counterparts in the 1964 World Series, when Ken was with the Cardinals.


The Brothers Perry were star pitchers for their respective teams. Jim played primarily with the Indians and Twins, and won the AL Cy Young award in 1970, winning 24 games. Gaylord played 22 seasons, the first half of his career with the Giants, before bouncing around to a number of teams. He was a 5-time 20-game winner. The brothers were teammates on the 1974-75 Indians.


Phil and Joe Niekro were both knuckleballers, Phil played for 4 teams over 24 seasons (1964-87), the first 20 seasons with the Braves. Joe played for 7 teams over 22 seasons (1967-88). They were teammates on the 1973-74 Braves, and the 1985 Yankees.


Frank and Joe Torre both began their careers with the Milwaukee Braves, and although they were both on the big club for part of 1960, and in the Braves' farm system for some of the same years, they were never teammates.


Lee May played 18 seasons, with Cincinnati, Houston, Baltimore, and the KC Royals. Younger brother Carlos played primarily for the White Sox. They were never teammates.


Just kidding! For over 40 years, I thought these two were brothers, before one of you bloggers set me straight a few years ago.


Other brother combos in the 1960s were Tony and Billy Conigliaro,  Dick and Hank Allen, Dick and Larry Brown, and Billy and Bobby Klaus.
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