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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 1979)
lynamic duo Knuckling 'ther left-lin >mia, will stj slap il Tournament le believes ,(1 'best schedi United Press International iN'SING, Oliio — The baseball Mrs. Henrietta “Ivy” Niekro ability to gd nidly displayed had written on it: aid. y 200th win, they are as much jV&M will) mas they are mine. My love to tms in theSu p always, Phil. May 1, 1979, ison beginsii ivesS, Pirates 2.” 1 faces top la [he ball is one of the most prized mmtry, cuk sessions of Mrs. Niekro and her land, Phil Sr., parents of the jtional League’s winningest pitch- ( knuckleballing Phil of the At tn Braves and Joe of the Houston ps, both of whom are closing in -win seasons. lil got his first win and his win at Pittsburgh, said Mrs. ro, “I was there for both of and he gave me both balls, using, a small mining commu- nestled in the heart of the Ohio Ihy, is little more than an hour’s ive from Pittsburgh. It is where Niekro brothers and their older ter, Phyllis, grew up in modest landings, dominated by love — baseball. Were a close family, ’ said Mrs. fro. “Phil always kisses his dad me. Were not mushy, but re is just something about it. He kissed us once after a game in tsburgh and Bob Prince (the er Pirate broadcaster) came and said, ‘Of all the years I’ve §inced baseball, that’s the first Ve ever seen a player kiss his is.’” though there is no longer the ping from one game to another the boys perform, baseball I takes up much of the Niekros’ e. : Texas Agp I've usually got two radios going letter.Arl the time, ’ said Mrs. Niekro, quarterbi d if I can’t get the Atlanta and 1 uston games in here, I go out in car. I ll listen to some game just 'et the scores. When baseball season is over,’ said, “we don’t have anything to :o by Pat O’Mi rulemak- es in the rtment.” N NO. 3 LLOT 1) iesolution nendment nstitution Legisla- for the is used to nd ranch qualified he elder Niekros used to attend many games as possible when sons played in such cities as tsburgh, Detroit, Cincinnati, icago or Atlanta. lul in recent years, the trips have been cut by the illness of Niekro, who underwent surgery six years ago and has since been bothered by blood clots. Niekro, who spent 18 years work ing in the mines and a year as an auto worker in Detroit before re turning to Lansing, was a top sandlot pitcher in his younger days. In fact, it was he who taught young Phil how to throw the knuck- ler at the tender age of 8. “I had a good arm, but nothing up here,” said Niekro, pointing to his head, “that’s why I ruined it. The main thing for kids to learn is how to take care of their arm.” He went to the mound after some of his former sandlot teammates, in cluding George Butch, who still visits the elder Niekro almost daily, complained their then first baseman burned their hands when he threw the ball around the infield. “When it came to good arms,” said Butch, “they (Phil and Joe) couldn’t carry his glove.” “We told him, ‘if you want to throw that hard, get on the mound, ” said Anthony Niekro, a cousin of Phil Sr. and another former teammate. “Once he got there, he was a pitcher from then on. ” After injuring his arm, Phil Sr. learned the knuckler from a former local minor league player, although he admitted, “I never used it much.” But he knew enough about it to teach it to young Phil, who lost only two games during his career at Bridgeport High School, one of them to Bill Mazeroski and his War ren Consolidated team, and was signed during a Milwaukee Braves tryout camp at nearby Bellaire. “The kids used to be sitting there beside the house with their gloves when Phil (Sr.) got home from the mine, said Mrs. Niekro. “He would be so dirty that all you could see was his eyes, but he would play catch with them. But that wasn’t the only parental help the boys got. They also had their own trainer. “I wish I had a nickel for every TAKE A DISCOVERY FUGHT... FOR ONLY (10.00! rr am end- on the GET "THE ANSWER DOOK ... ADSOLUTELY FREE! Kstrue! You con ocruolly robe the controls of o modern Cessno and fly under the guidance of a certified flight instructor for only $10! Jusrosk for our special Discovery Flighr... and, when you do, we’ll olsogiveyou "The Answer Boob” which gives you all rhe interesting facts about learning to fly — absolutely free. So, come out now, lake your Discovery Flighr for only $10 and get your copy of "The Answer Boob.” Both available now at Cessna^ PIlOl CENTER BRAZOS AVIATION 696-8767 EASTERWOOD AIRPORT ' COLLEGE STATION ' is ! < Christian FOLK CONCERT for Nicaraguan Children’s Relief featuring JIM GILL of Beaumont Sponsored by UNITED CAMPUS MINISTRY CATHOLIC STUDENT CENTER LUTHERAN STUDENT CENTER Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m at the A&M Presbyterian Church 601 Church Street THE BATTALION Page 13 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1979 Niekros knocking’em dead time I’ve rubbed my boys down,” said Mrs. Niekro. Although Phil, who makes his winter home in Atlanta, and Joe, who resides in Lakeland, Fla., in the offseason, don’t get home often, they still make the short jaunt from Pittsburgh when their teams are playing the Pirates — usually bring ing a carload of teammates for some of their mom’s ethnic cooking. “The last time, Joe brought five of them,” said Mrs. Niekro. “I’m wait ing for Phil to bring Ted Turner (owner of the Braves). Maybe he’ll leave a tip on the table.” But money isn’t important to the Niekros. “Money doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t have your health,” said Mr. Niekro. “Your health is your wealth. ” “Talk about the depression,” said Mrs. Niekro. “Our boys didn’t have a car until they were in the major leagues.” Although the 1979 baseball sea son has been a good one for all the Niekros, Mrs. Niekro, a seem ingly unperturbable gray-haired woman with an ever-present smile, had one bone to pick — with Tom Lasorda, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. You see, Lasorda also was the Na tional League All-Star manager and son Joe, making the All-Star team for the first time, didn’t get to pitch. “Just say I’m very unhappy that Joe didn’t get into the All-Star Game,” she said, biting her lip to keep from saying more. “The whole valley is. I had one 85-year-old lady call me and say she stayed up to midnight just to see Joe pitch. But Mrs. Niekro s baseball season is likely to end well, with Phil and Joe becoming the first brother com bination to win 20 games since Jim and Gaylord Perry in 1970. “I’m just praying for two 20-game seasons,” said Mrs. Niekro. “I’m thinking of taking some holy water to Pittsburgh.” “I just thank God that our chil dren turned out so good,” said Mrs. Niekro. ‘Tve always told them to have respect for everybody and they all do. They have never said an un kind word to us.” The Bridal Fair 2:00-5:00 p.m. Sept. 16 (Bridal Show 3:00-4:00 p.m.) Brazos Center Invitations available at these merchants: J. C. Penny's Medley's Lindsey's Jewelry Petal Patch Flowers Grooms are Welcome! vsAjtwnvvitvs/. Experienced Traps Drummer Needed For SINGING CADETS Call Vocal Music Office 845-6942 Civilian or Corps vHQIWC CAD[f r Dionne Warwick thought Red Cross was only about hurricanes. “True. I always thought of Red Cross as a kind of rescue force in times of disaster and little more. “Then I learned that in towns and cities across America, Red Cross gives the kind of help to individuals that you rarely hear about, because it doesn’t make headlines in the newspaper. “Red Cross, for instance, helps elderly people get to doc tors’ appointments... and even to the store. They help veterans get back on the track. They teach kids to swim... and how to save lives. “I found out that if you added up all the different humanitarian jobs Red Cross does in different towns, the number comes to over 100! “That’s why I’m helping to keep Red Cross ready. And why I hope you do, too.” ■ iSgPS Keep Red Cross ready. 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