#Shortstops: Family connections

Written by: Chase Niekro

Baseball was life for the Niekro family, but few expected brothers Phil and Joe to achieve the most combined wins by siblings in Major League Baseball history.

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Born and raised near Blaine, Ohio, a small coal mining town an hour southwest of Pittsburgh, Phil and Joe Niekro were two peas in a pod who did everything together. Mentored by their role model, Phil Niekro Sr., Phil and Joe learned everything they knew in life from their father, including the knuckleball.

On June 1, 1987, Phil Niekro won his 314th career game, tying Gaylord Perry for the 11th most wins in MLB history. Coincidentally, this same victory also catapulted Phil and Joe Niekro into first for most combined wins between siblings in MLB history with 530, overtaking Jim and Gaylord Perry. In the monumental game, “Knucksie” completed 5.2 innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits against the Detroit Tigers. The Cleveland cap he wore that day is now a part of the Museum’s collection.

During the summer months and fair weather, the two brothers would anxiously wait for their father to step off the streetcar – because this meant it was time to play catch.

Knuckleballers Joe (left, 221 wins) and Phil Niekro (right, 318 wins) combined to win the most games of any brothers in major league history. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

The senior Niekro was a tremendous pitcher for the Lorain Coal and Dock team in the local coal miners league. Relying on his “cannon-shot” fastball, he struck out 17 batters in his first game and became a regular for the league over the next 10 years. Shortly after his debut, he was introduced to the knuckleball by fellow player Nick McCay, who originally learned the fluttering pitch in the minor leagues. Familiarizing himself with the pitch, Philip added the knuckleball to his arsenal and used it as an opportunity to coach his young kids.

At just six years old, young Phil, a future Hall of Famer, had already began throwing the unpredictable pitch with his father and sister, Phyllis. 

Phil Niekro donned a Cleveland cap, now in the Hall of Fame's collection, for 56 appearances from 1986-87 as his career wound down. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

Although Phil grew up throwing the pitch, his brother, Joe, only started throwing the knuckleball several years into his professional campaign. Early in his career, Joe relied on a mix of fastballs, sliders and changeups to keep batters off balance. It wasn't until Joe joined the Atlanta Braves off waivers in 1973 that he was able to rekindle his knuckleball knowledge with his teammate and sibling, Phil.

Soon after, Joe found success with the Houston Astros, pitching with the organization for 10 seasons and compiling 144 wins, 1,178 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.22. On the flipside, Phil used the knuckleball as his most prominent pitch for the entirety of his career. Pitching across 24 major league seasons, Phil accumulated 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts for four different franchises, including the Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays. Together, Phil and Joe combined for 539 career wins.

To many, this achievement may seem like any other record, but to the Niekros, it is the embodiment of family. It shows the love of a father, who wanted nothing more than to get home from work and play catch with his sons. It shows the dedication of two ballplayers who were able to extend their careers for a combined 46 years. It also shows the desire of two brothers to make their father proud. Members of the Niekro family still wear shirts with “539” featured across the chest to honor the brothers' impressive record.

Chase Niekro, a grandson of Phil Niekro, was a 2023 membership and development intern in the Hall of Fame’s Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development

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Mentioned Hall of Famers

Phil Niekro

Pitcher

Class of 1997

Gaylord Perry

Pitcher

Class of 1991