1964–1987 · P

Phil Niekro

6' 1", 180 lbs·Lived to 81·Bats R / Throws R

Hall of Fame · 19975×Gold GloveAll-Star

The Almanac's Take

Knuckleball Phil holds the modern record for most losses by a pitcher — and that's exactly why he belongs in Cooperstown. Those 274 defeats came because Niekro pitched until age 48, throwing his dancing butterfly pitch deep into games that lesser mortals would have abandoned. His 318 wins tell only half the story of remarkable durability.

The knuckleball kept Niekro effective across four decades, posting a 111 ERA+ despite playing most of his career for terrible Braves teams in the 1970s and early 1980s. He threw 5,404 innings — a number that would take today's starters nearly two decades to accumulate. His peak 176 ERA+ in 1967 shows the pitch could dominate, not just survive.

Those five Gold Gloves weren't charity awards either. Fielding the knuckleball requires cat-like reflexes when hitters make contact, and Niekro mastered both sides of his craft with equal precision.

Career Highs

1.87

Best ERA · 1967

Most W · 1969

262

Most K · 1977

1.027

Best WHIP · 1969

Career Arc · OPS

18 seasons

Career Arc · ERA

24 seasons

Statistical Comps

Seth Lugo

98%

2016 season

K/9 6.3 · BB/9 3.0 · HR/9 0.98 · RP · FB 92.8 mph · Whiff% 19

Adam Warren

97%

2015 season

K/9 7.1 · BB/9 2.7 · HR/9 0.69 · RP · FB 93.2 mph · Whiff% 19

Odrisamer Despaigne

96%

2017 season

K/9 4.8 · BB/9 3.7 · HR/9 0.46 · RP · FB 92.4 mph · Whiff% 16

Career · Hitting

24 seasons

Year	Team	G	AB	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS	OPS+
1964	ML1	10	0	0	0	—	—	—
1965	ML1	42	10	0	0	.100	.200	—
1966	ATL	28	8	0	0	.000	.000	—
1967	ATL	46	57	0	2	.123	.325	—
1968	ATL	37	77	2	7	.104	.299	—
1969	ATL	40	95	0	7	.211	.479	—
1970	ATL	34	79	1	3	.152	.361	51
1971	ATL	42	92	0	4	.152	.323	47
1972	ATL	38	93	1	4	.194	.453	68
1973	ATL	42	82	1	2	.122	.350	50
1974	ATL	41	104	0	11	.192	.432	62
1975	ATL	39	99	0	10	.172	.389	55
1976	ATL	38	94	1	12	.191	.453	67
1977	ATL	44	109	0	7	.174	.364	50
1978	ATL	45	120	0	10	.225	.506	72
1979	ATL	44	123	0	12	.195	.457	63
1980	ATL	40	90	0	5	.133	.332	46
1981	ATL	22	52	0	1	.077	.154	22
1982	ATL	35	87	1	7	.195	.469	66
1983	ATL	34	65	0	5	.185	.409	57
1984	NYY	32	0	0	0	—	—	—
1985	NYY	33	0	0	0	—	—	—
1986	CLE	34	0	0	0	—	—	—
1987	ATL	26	1	0	0	.000	.000	0
Career		866	1537	7	109	.169	—	—

Career · Pitching

24 seasons

Year	Team	G	IP	W	L	ERA	ERA+	SO	WHIP
1964	ML1	10	15.0	0	0	4.80	75	8	1.467
1965	ML1	41	74.7	2	3	2.89	121	49	1.326
1966	ATL	28	50.3	4	3	4.11	86	17	1.411
1967	ATL	46	207.0	11	9	1.87	176	129	1.058
1968	ATL	37	257.0	14	12	2.59	115	140	1.062
1969	ATL	40	284.3	23	13	2.56	141	193	1.027
1970	ATL	34	229.7	12	18	4.27	91	168	1.263
1971	ATL	42	268.7	15	14	2.98	116	173	1.184
1972	ATL	38	282.3	16	12	3.06	107	164	1.087
1973	ATL	42	245.0	13	10	3.31	113	131	1.237
1974	ATL	41	302.3	20	13	2.38	152	195	1.115
1975	ATL	39	275.7	15	15	3.20	116	144	1.295
1976	ATL	38	270.7	17	11	3.29	107	173	1.293
1977	ATL	44	330.3	16	20	4.03	99	262	1.450
1978	ATL	44	334.3	19	18	2.88	128	248	1.187
1979	ATL	44	342.0	21	20	3.39	118	208	1.240
1980	ATL	40	275.0	15	18	3.63	106	176	1.240
1981	ATL	22	139.3	7	7	3.10	115	62	1.263
1982	ATL	35	234.3	17	4	3.61	107	144	1.272
1983	ATL	34	201.7	11	10	3.97	97	128	1.572
1984	NYY	32	215.7	16	8	3.09	123	136	1.368
1985	NYY	33	220.0	16	12	4.09	95	149	1.468
1986	CLE	34	210.3	11	11	4.32	92	81	1.597
1987	CLE	26	138.7	7	13	6.30	68	64	1.651
Career		864	5404.3	318	274	—	—	3342	—

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