Photos: Phil Niekro dies at 81

Atlanta Braves

Photos: Phil Niekro dies at 81

Phil Niekro, a Hall of Fame knuckleball pitcher, spent 21 of his 24 years in the majors with the Braves, pitching in a franchise record 740 games for Milwaukee and Atlanta.

Braves great Phil Niekro throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Phil Niekro is one of the Braves' best pitchers ever. (Hyosub Shin / Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com)

Mike Soroka receives his All-Star jersey from Braves great Phil Niekro. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

A statue of Atlanta Braves pitcher Phil Niekro, the winningest knuckleball pitcher in major league history with 318 wins, sits outside newly renamed Truist Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Braves were supposed to host their home opener Friday, but the season's start was postponed by Major League Baseball because of the coronavirus pandemic. No one know when, or even if, the 2020 season will start, or how long it might last. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Atlanta Braves pitcher Phil Niekro throws in this 1970 file photo. Niekro, the only knuckleballer to win 300 games, found his way into the Hall of Fame on his fifth try, the lone player elected to the shrine Monday Jan. 6, 1997. Niekro, the top vote-getter last year when no one was elected, was named on 380 of the 473 ballots. He got 80.34 percent of the vote, easily above the required 75 percent. (AP Photo/file)

A file photo from Sept. 9, 1987 shows Phil Niekro's pitching action during a Braves/San Francisco game in Atlanta, this was also Niekro's last game. (AJC Staff Photo/William Berry

Phil Niekro pays tribute to Don Sutton during the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame luncheon inducting broadcaster and MLB hall of fame player Don Sutton, Monday, July 20, 2015, at Turner Field in Atlanta. (Photo/John Amis)

Former Major League pitcher and Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, left, autographs a piece of paper for Rep. Mickey Stephens D- Savannah. Niekro was honored by the House Tuesday January 21, 2014. Niekro spent most of his career with the Braves organization, starting with the Milwaukee Braves in 1964. Niekro left the Braves in 1983 for stints with the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1987 the Braves brought Niekro back, allowing him to retire as an Atlanta Brave. BRANT SANDERLIN /BSANDERLIN@AJC.COM

Hall of famer Phil Niekro (right) pitches during the Home Run Challenge, part of the 5th annualBrian McCann Rally Foundation Celebrity Softball Game at Coolray field in Lawrenceville on Saturday November 9th, 2013. Bert's Big Bats team played against Tug's Triple Threat in the event that raised funds for childhood cancer research.

Phil Niekro began pitching for the Milwaukee Braves in 1964 and he stayed with the team though 1983. Over a 23-year career, Niekro had 3,342 strikeouts and earned five Gold Gloves.

Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro finished his 318-win career with the Braves in 1987 - at age 48.

Hall of Famer Phil Niekro thanks Braves' players, coaches and alumni for taking part in festivities for active-duty soldiers home on leave for the holidays, wounded soldiers, soldiers who recently returned home from deployment and soon-to-be deployed troops.

War vet, Staff Sgt. Luke Murphy (left), gets encouragement from instructor Tommy Sewell (center) and Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro.

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Braves great Phil Niekro throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

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