Joe Niekro
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Joseph Franklin Niekro (November 7, 1944 – October 27, 2006) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, the younger brother of Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro, and the father of first baseman Lance Niekro. A native of Blaine, Ohio, Niekro attended Bridgeport, Ohio, High School. He batted and threw right-handed. He debuted on April 16, 1967.
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[edit] Career
Much more traveled than his brother Phil, Niekro pitched for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Detroit Tigers with only occasional success before joining Phil with the Atlanta Braves in 1973. Joe used a fastball and a slider early in his career, with mixed results. He spent two seasons in Atlanta with Phil and got re-acquainted with the knuckleball that their father taught them. The knuckleball became an essential part of his arsenal though never his sole pitch. Joe threw harder than Phil and could set up batters nearly as effectively with his fastball in combination with his excellent change-up.
The Houston Astros purchased Niekro's contract from the Braves for $35,000 in 1975. He blossomed into a dominant pitcher as he perfected his knuckleball in Houston, going 21-11 in 1979 and 20-12 in 1980, to became the first Astros pitcher to win 20 games in consecutive seasons. He also made the National League All-Star team in 1979, a season in which he led the league with his 21 wins and five shutouts, won the TSN Pitcher of the Year Award, and ended second in voting for the Cy Young Award behind Bruce Sutter.
In 1980, Houston had a three-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, then lost their last three games of the regular season in Los Angeles, to force a one-game playoff. Niekro allowed six hits in a 7–1 Houston victory that propelled the Astros to their first postseason. He then pitched 10 shutout innings in Game 3 of the NLCS and the Astros won 1–0, though they lost the series to the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-2.
In 1985, Houston traded the 40-year-old Niekro to the New York Yankees, where he briefly reunited again with Phil. Niekro finished his career with the Minnesota Twins, where he pitched in the World Series for the only time, in 1987. Earlier that season, Niekro was suspended for 10 games when umpire Steve Palermo discovered a nail file in his pocket. Niekro said he was filing his nails in the dugout, but American League president Dr. Bobby Brown didn't believe him, and ordered the suspension. Niekro played his final game on May 4, 1988, ending his 22-year majors career.
On October 26, 2006, Niekro suffered a brain aneurysm and was taken to South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City, Florida. He was later transferred to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Florida, where he died the following day at age 61.
[edit] Facts
- His 221 career wins make him one of the most successful knuckleball pitchers of all time. The Niekro brothers combined for 539 total wins, making them the most successful brother combination in major league history.
- In 1976, hit his first and only big league home run in 973 lifetime at bats, off his brother Phil.
- When Niekro appeared in the 1987 World Series with Minnesota, he set a record for the longest period of time elapsed between a player's major league debut and his first appearance in the Series.
[edit] Teams
- Chicago Cubs (1967-1969)
- San Diego Padres (1969)
- Detroit Tigers (1970-1972)
- Atlanta Braves (1973-1974)
- Houston Astros (1975-1985)
- New York Yankees (1985-1987)
- Minnesota Twins (1987-1988)
[edit] Career statistics
| W | L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | SO | WP | HBP |
| 221 | 204 | .520 | 3.59 | 702 | 500 | 107 | 29 | 16 | 3584 | 3466 | 1431 | 1620 | 276 | 1262 | 1747 | 172 | 65 |
[edit] Trivia
He had a memorable appearance on Late Night with David Letterman on August 15, 1987 during the time he was serving his suspension for having a nail file on the mound. He walked on stage wearing a carpenter's apron and carrying a power sander [1]
[edit] References
- ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE; Suspended Animation". New York Times. August 16, 1987. Retrieved October 28, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Joe Niekro.com - website dedicated to Joe Niekro including bio, stats and photos.
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- Baseball Library - article and chronology
Categories: 1944 births | 2006 deaths | Major league pitchers | Atlanta Braves players | Chicago Cubs players | Detroit Tigers players | Houston Astros players | Minnesota Twins players | New York Yankees players | San Diego Padres players | Major league players from Ohio | 1979 National League All-Stars | 1987 Minnesota Twins World Series Championship Team | Major League Baseball families | Polish-Americans
