GOOD NEWS: BASEBALL IMMORTALIZED — MLB OPENS “NIEKRO KNUCKLEBALL ACADEMY” TO KEEP THE MAGIC ALIVE AND INSPIRE A NEW GENERATION OF DREAMERS.vc

The legend that defied gravity now defies time. MLB has built a home for the pitch that danced through history — and for every young dreamer chasing it.

ATLANTA — In a move that celebrates one of baseball’s most magical and nearly extinct arts, Major League Baseball has announced the grand opening of the “Niekro Knuckleball Academy.”

This new, state-of-the-art facility, based in the Niekro brothers’ spiritual home of Atlanta, is a direct commitment from the league to “keep the magic alive.” Its mission is to preserve and pass on the secrets of the pitch that “danced through history,” ensuring the legacy of Phil and Joe Niekro inspires a “new generation of dreamers.”

The knuckleball—a pitch that defied gravity, physics, and batters for decades—has seen its numbers dwindle to near extinction in the modern game of high-velocity fastballs and analytics. This academy is MLB’s answer, a “home for the pitch” and for the “unconventional” athlete who dares to throw it.

“Defying Time”

Named for the greatest brother pitching duo in baseball history (a combined 539 wins), the “Niekro Knuckleball Academy” is more than just a training center.

• World-Class Coaching: The academy’s permanent staff will include former knuckleballers and catchers who were tasked with handling the “butterfly with hiccups.”
• A “Who’s Who” Guest List: The league has already secured commitments from the last generation of knuckleball masters—including R.A. Dickey, Charlie Hough, and Steven Wright—to serve as guest instructors.
• Open to All Dreamers: The academy will host clinics for players of all ages, from high school “dreamers” to minor league pitchers looking to “reinvent” their careers—the very path that made so many knuckleballers famous.

A New Generation

At the opening ceremony, an MLB spokesperson called the academy a “promise to the Niekro family” and to the fans.

“The Niekro name is synonymous with greatness, longevity, and a kind of magic that baseball cannot afford to lose,” the spokesperson said. “This academy ensures that for generations to come, there will always be a place where a young pitcher can learn to make a baseball dance. We are here to inspire a new generation.”

The “N.K.A.” will not just teach a grip; it will teach an art form. It will be a home for every young pitcher told they don’t throw hard enough, a sanctuary built on the belief that, sometimes, the “slowest, most unpredictable path” is the one that leads to the Hall of Fame.

The legend that defied gravity now, officially, defies time.