In 15 days, Major League Baseball begins to roll out the 2021 season. As a manager, I was always early, said Howe during a recent telephone conversation from his home in suburban Houston, Texas. I had my coaches arrive early, too. We would discuss what we would be doing in the upcoming season, and I d pick their brains. I wanted to know if there was a better way to do things than what I had mapped out.
Howe wanted to build on camaraderie between himself and his staff. There were dinners together and other outings done as a group. More than anything, as the club s skipper, Howe wanted to be prepared for when the players arrived.
By Reuters Staff
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(Reuters) - Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro, who was famous for confounding batters with his mystifying knuckleball, died in his sleep at age 81, the Atlanta Braves said on Sunday.
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Known by the nickname “Knucksie,” Niekro pitched 21 of his 24 seasons with the Braves, winning 318 games and striking out 3,342 batters, which places him eighth on the all-time list.
The Blaine, Ohio native was also an outstanding fielder, winning five gold gloves in his lengthy career. He threw a no-hitter on August 5, 1973 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
“Phil Niekro was one of the most distinctive and memorable pitchers of his generation,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said.