Philip Henry Niekro (/ˈniːkroʊ/ NEE-kroh; April 1, 1939 – December 26, 2020), nicknamed "Knucksie",[1] was an American baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.

[12] He pitched for several minor league teams at several levels for the next few years, appearing mostly as a relief pitcher.

While he was briefly promoted to the Class AAA Louisville Colonels in 1960, he spent the rest of that season pitching for the Jacksonville Braves.

[1][13] He stayed with the major league team all year in 1965, pitching 74+2⁄3 innings in 41 games and recording six saves.

[1] In 1966, Niekro split time again between the Braves and their minor league system, going 4–3 with a 4.11 earned run average (ERA).

[13] Niekro led the league with a 1.87 ERA in 1967, earning an 11–9 record with 10 complete games and 9 saves.

[1] He began the year as a relief pitcher but had earned a job in the starting rotation during the season.

The Braves went to the playoffs, where Niekro was 0–1 with four earned runs allowed in an eight-inning appearance against the New York Mets.

On August 5, 1973, Niekro threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres, the first for the Braves since moving to Atlanta.

[1] Between 1977 and 1979, Niekro was the league leader in complete games, innings pitched and batters faced.

On October 1, with the Braves clinging to a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Niekro beat the San Diego Padres almost single-handedly by throwing a complete game shutout and hitting a two-run home run.

However, the Cardinals scored two late runs after Niekro left the game and would eventually sweep the series.

At 46 years, 188 days, Niekro became the oldest pitcher to pitch a shutout in the major leagues.

He did not throw his trademark knuckleball throughout the game until the final hitter;[19] to former AL MVP Jeff Burroughs.

[1] On August 9, 1987, Niekro was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Darryl Landrum and a player to be named later,[23] who was later revealed to be Don Gordon.

[26] On September 27, he made his final start of his career, pitching three innings and surrendering five runs in the no-decision.

[28] A sidearm pitcher, his pitching featured the knuckleball, which frustrated major league hitters.

Ralph Kiner compared Niekro's special pitch to "watching Mario Andretti park a car".

[29] Pete Rose said, "I work for three weeks to get my swing down pat and Phil messes it up in one night...

"[30] Catcher Bob Uecker was also frustrated by the pitch at times, saying, "Niekro struck out a hitter once and I never touched the ball.