Tuesday, October 7, 2025

CAREER-CAPPER: 1988 PHIL NIEKRO

Today on the blog, we have my 1988 career-capper for Phil Niekro, Hall of Fame pitcher, who wrapped up an amazing Big League career back where it all started for him some 24 years earlier, as a member of the Braves organization, now in Atlanta:




It is astonishing to think Niekro didn’t have a full season on Big League duty until 1967 at the age of 28, yet still went on to pitch those 24 seasons, winning 318 games with a very nice 3.35 ERA along with 45 shutouts and 3342 strikeouts before he was done at the age of 48!
I always thought it amazing that at the age of 44 in 1983, he took home the last of his five Gold Gloves, ALL of which were garnered beginning his age 39 season in 1978.
Just an amazing talent!

 

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER...

@wthballs
Everything baseball: cards, events, history and more.