Joe Niekro
| Birthdate | 11/7/1944 |
| Death Date | 10/27/2006 |
| Debut Year | 1967 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Astros, Braves, Cubs, Padres, Tigers, Twins, Yankees |
| Position | Pitcher |
The only HR Joe Niekro hit in 19 MLB seasons came off his brother, Phil. The knuckleballing Niekros won 539 games – a record for brothers.
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Joe Niekro won 221 games in his 19-year MLB career
Joe Niekro won 221 games in his 19-year MLB career
At times overshadowed by his older brother and Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro, Joe Niekro was a fine pitcher in his own right.
An All Star and 20-game winner, Joe remains near the top of the Astros franchise leader board in most pitching categories. He finished his career with 221 wins.
Joe played 19 big league seasons before retiring in 1988. He passed away in 2008 at age 61 from a brain aneurism. Today a foundation that bears his name supports patients, families, research, treatment, and awareness of aneurisms.
Shown here is a pair of cards showing Joe Niekro with the Chicago Cubs from the infancy of his career. After getting dealt from the Cubs Joe bounced around. He pitched for the Padres, Tigers, and Braves before embarking on an 11-year run in Houston where he became the franchise leader in career wins.
Joe's only MLB home run came off of his brother in 1976
Joe's only MLB home run came off of his brother in 1976
Joe Niekro hit .165 over the course of his 19-year big league career. In 1,165 plate appearances he had just one home run.
That long ball was a memorable one.
Starting against his brother Phil on May 29, 1976, Joe hit a 7th-inning homer. He also earned the win in the Astros 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Joe’s performance at bat and on the mound helped saddle Phil with the loss.
Shown here is his contract with the Jacksonville Braves for 1960 for $400 per month.
The Niekro brothers each won 100+ games in the 1980s
The Niekro brothers each won 100+ games in the 1980s
Joe and Phil Niekro combined to earn 205 victories during the 1980s. Younger brother Joe totaled 105 while Phil tallied an even 100.
Joe kicked off the second with his second consecutive 20-win seasons for the Astros in 1980. Over the next seven seasons he pitched for Houston, the Yankees and the Twins before retiring in 1988.
Five years older than Joe, Phil lasted through the ’87 season, pitching for the Braves, Yankees, Indians, and Blue Jays.
This 1983 Donruss card featuring the Niekro brothers depicts them with the teams with which they’re most identified. Phil Niekro played for the Braves in 21 of his 24 big league seasons while Joe remains the Astros franchise leader in career wins.
Joe led the league in both games started and wild pitches in 1983 while Phil earned his fifth and final Gold Glove Award.
The Niekros own the record for most wins by a brother combination
The Niekros own the record for most wins by a brother combination
Phil Niekro’s 314th win on June 1, 1987 was momentous. It marked the 530th victory for the Niekro brothers and broke the previous record held by Jim and Gaylord Perry.
Joe earned the last win by a Niekro on April 12, 1988 to push the mark to 539. Shown here is a Topps record breaker card autographed by both brothers.
The other card is from the 1983 Super Veteran series that featured a picture of the players from early in their careers and from 1983, the year the cards were printed. Phil Niekro’s card has an image from his rookie year with the Braves who were in their penultimate year in Milwaukee.
