Quotes About Phil Niekro

“It’s pretty hard to hit a ball that (the catcher) can’t even catch.”

- Padres manager Don Zimmer, following Phil Niekro’s no-hitter on Aug. 5, 1973

“Phil Niekro’s knuckleball is like a butterfly with hiccups.”

- Hall of Famer Willie Stargell

Quotes From Phil Niekro

“(My father) taught (the knuckleball) to me in the backyard. I didn’t know what it was or anything, he showed me how to hold it and we’d just play knuckleball in the backyard.”

“This game is owned, and it belongs, to you, the fans. Cherish it and take care of it.”

“I still say the mound is 60 feet, six inches from the plate. You still have a home plate, a backstop, nine men on the field. You still get four balls and three strikes. The game doesn’t change, the show goes on.”

“I feel like I’m surrounded by family. (Cooperstown) is the magical village of the U.S.A.”