Robert Thomas Purkey (July 14, 1929 – March 16, 2008) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball known for his use of the knuckleball.

[1] He reached the major leagues in 1954, but after 4 seasons in which he was used largely in relief, posting a combined record of 16-29, he was traded in December 1957 to the Cincinnati Reds for left-hander Don Gross.

After his standout 1962 campaign, Purkey's record slipped to just 6-10 in 1963, and after finishing 11-9 in 1964 he was traded that December to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Roger Craig and outfielder Charlie James.

Purkey alternated between starting and relieving in 1965, finishing the year with a 10-9 mark, and the Cardinals sold his contract to the Pirates a few days before the 1966 season began.

Over a 13-season career, Purkey posted a 129-115 record with 793 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.79 in 386 appearances, including 276 starts, 92 complete games, 13 shutouts, 9 saves, and 21142⁄3 innings of work.