Damn the Torpedoes

A legendary knuckleballer learned it from his coal mining father, plus, Profar pops for PED use, the Yankees torpedo the league, and more.

Author

J.D. DiGiovanni
April 01, 2025

Pine Tar Letter
A vintage baseball card of Phil Niekro set against a light blue background. The card features a close-up color photograph of Niekro in a Braves uniform, looking slightly off to the side with a calm expression. A purple banner in the top left corner reads “BRAVES,” and a purple nameplate at the bottom displays “PHIL NIEKRO” in bold white letters, with “pitcher” written in smaller black text to the right. In the bottom right corner of the image, the red and teal "PTL" logo is subtly placed.

Today is the birthday of hall of fame knuckleball pitcher Phil Niekro, born in Blaine, Ohio, 1939. 

Niekro learned the pitch that would propel him to 318 career wins, five gold gloves awards, five all star selection, and an induction to the hall of fame not from a coach, a fellow player, or an old pro — but from his father, Phil Sr. 

The son of Polish immigrants, Phil Sr. lost both of his parents at just five years old and went to work in the coal mines of West Virginia at 15. When he wasn’t deep below the earth, Phil Sr. was on top of a pitching mound playing in the Mine Workers League. After an arm injury took away his fastball, a co-worker showed him how to throw a knuckleball as a way to keep him on the team. Years later, as a father, he taught the same pitch to his sons Phil Jr. and Joe while playing catch in their yard. 

Phil Jr. Niekro went on to perfect the knuckleball in high school, and in the minor leagues before unleashing it in the pros. Pete Rose said of Niekro’s knuckleball that “trying to hit that thing is a miserable way to make a living.” And as catcher, Bob Uecker admitted that the only way to catch the pitch was to wait until it stopped rolling. 

Of all the milestones that marked Niekro’s career, the one that meant the most to him was his record combined 539 wins with his brother Joe. After they broke the record previously held by the Perry brothers who won a combined 529, his brother Joe said to reporters that, “I keep telling people that for us 530 wasn’t just Phile and Joe, it was a Niekro record. The two of us accomplished it, but not without the strength and support of our family and people behind us.”

A baseball player profile card for Phil Niekro, featuring a red and teal “PTL” logo in the top left corner. The card includes personal details: “Phil Niekro – Pitcher, Bats: Right, Throws: Right, Height: 6'1, Weight: 180, Born: 4/1/1939, Blaine, Ohio.” Below, his career stats are displayed in a horizontal row: Wins (W) – 318, Losses (L) – 274, Earned Run Average (ERA) – 3.35, Strikeouts (K) – 3,342, Walks (BB) – 1,809, Innings Pitched (IP) – 5,404, Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched (WHIP) – 1.268, Saves (SV) – 29, Complete Games (CG) – 245, Shutouts (SHO) – 45. The design uses bold teal and red lines with blue and white text.

MLB News

Damn the Torpedos, Profar Pops, and Snaps From Opening Week

  • Damn the Torpedoes – We spent all of spring training hand-wringing over ABS, but the biggest change to the game this season might just be a new bat. The Yankees lit the league on fire this weekend with a slew of homers and a huge run differential over the Milwaukee Brewers. And, apparently, one of the things helping them out might be an oddly shaped bat designed by an MIT physicist. And yes, they’re legal.

  • Profar Pops — Jackson Profar is banned for 80 games and loses $5.8m in salary for testing positive for HCG.

  • The Opposite of Homers — Newly minted Red Sox DH Rafael Devers is having a rough start to the season. He’s set a new MLB record with 10 strikeouts in the first three games of the season. Dan Kelley asks the question on Sox fans minds at the moment. But of course, it’s worth remembering — the season is long.

  • Always the Underdog – California’s state capital, Sacramento, is ecstatic about getting a ball club. Even if only for a few years. And even if they haven’t added ‘Sacramento’ to their name.

  • Elbow Grease – Last week we shared a story criticizing the way that pitching greatness has been diminished by calling pitchers out of games early. Today, a counter-point. The New Yorker goes deep on what they’re calling the elbow injury epidemic.

  • The Jersey Sales MVP – Since the World Series last year, Shohei’s jersey remains the most purchased. Check out the full list of the 20 most purchased MLB jerseys here.

  • Snaps From Opening Week – The MLB shared some of the best shots from the first few games of the season.

On This Day

The First Strike Begins

  • 1972 — The first Major League Baseball player’s strike begins after ownership refused to increase pension contributions and provide better health benefits for the players. While the strike was short — lasting just 12 days – it marked a significant moment in baseball labor relations as players learned that strikes could be an effective tool when bargaining with ownership.