Phil Niekro dies

Pitcher, Hall of Famer Phil Niekro Dies At 81 COOPERSTOWN – National Baseball Hall of Fame announced yesterday that pitcher and  Hall of Famer Phil Niekro passed away overnight after a battle with cancer. He was 81 years old. For years after he entered the Hall, he was often seen along Main Street during the annual Induction Weekend. Niekro rode his knuckleball to 5,404 innings pitched – the most of any pitcher who started his career in the live ball…