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Atlanta Braves legend Phil Niekro passes away at 81

By David Hill

COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 29: Hall of Famer Phil Niekro is introduced at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 29, 2018 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 29: Hall of Famer Phil Niekro is introduced at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 29, 2018 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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A difficult year for baseball legends has gotten even worse as Atlanta Braves legend and Hall of Famer Phil Niekro has passed away at 81 years old.

This has been a rough year for the legends of the game. Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Lou Brock, Al Kaline, Whitey Ford, and Joe Morgan all passed away this year as 2020 continues to cause misery in virtually every possible manner.

This year claimed yet another victim. Atlanta Braves legend Phil Niekro passed away on Saturday night after a long battle with cancer. He was 81 years old.

Niekro was known for his devastating knuckleball, floating towards the plate as though it were a butterfly before diving away. He made batters look foolish for over two decades, lasting 24 years in the league while relying on his signature pitch.

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That knuckleball served Niekro well. He posted a lifetime 318-274 record with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.268 WHiP over 5404 innings, striking out 3342 batters with 1809 walks. He was a five time All Star and the 1967 NL Cy Young runner up, leading the league in wins twice and taking home the 1967 NL ERA crown. Niekro is also one of just seven pitchers to record at least 300 wins and over 20 saves in their career. An excellent defender on the mound, he took home five Gold Glove awards. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on his fifth ballot, earning 80.3% of the vote.

But Niekro was more than a great pitcher – he was also considered one of the best people in the game. There are nearly as many tales of how he took players and reporters under his wing, or about his work with the community, as there are stories of how his knuckler made even the best hitters look foolish.

Niekro was also willing to help any professional pitcher that wanted to attempt to master the knuckleball. The pitch is a dying breed, especially as there is such a focus on velocity and lighting up the radar gun. Nonetheless, Niekro was willing to spread his knowledge to anyone that wanted to learn.

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Atlanta Braves legend Phil Niekro has passed away at 81 years of age after a long battle with cancer. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family.

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