Interview with Natalie Niekro...very candid discussion of her father's death, and her work to help others...

[splitterpfj]

I interviewed Natalie yesterday, she simply blew me away with her honesty and her candor.

 

Please enjoy...

 

http://www.baseballintheblood.com/?p=186

[TooLiveBrew]

Wow, that's an intense read at times. Very nicely done, splitter, you have a real knack for interviewing.

[splitterpfj]

Thanks, TLB, there will be many more, Frank Catalanotto is up next week.

[craigharmann]

Wow Splitter. That was amazing, awesome, powerful and wow. Thank you!

[splitterpfj]

Thanks, Craig, believe me, Natalie is every bit as impressive as she sounds.

 

Natalie is determined to reach EVERYONE with increased knowledge and understanding of brain aneurysms. Her dad was fine one day, and gone the next, but the condition is 100% treatable if detected.

 

In just a few years, the Joe Niekro Foundation has raised, and distributed more than two million dollars. As it turns out, there was one more star in the Niekro family who never had a baseball card.

[DHonks]

interesting read. I was a bit surprised when Niekro (Lance) retired suddenly, given that he had just converted to pitching. I remember teasing him in the Fall League that he had the family trademark. Each day he warmed up by throwing the knuckler, and guys couldn't catch it.

[kalle8]

good job splitter , very inspiring

[splitterpfj]

Thanks, DHonks, and kalle8.

 

DH, I agree, Lance had a shot as a pitcher, as Natalie said, his mind drifted away from baseball when Joe died. It took him a little while to get back to the game, but he's coaching now, which is a great thing!

 

There's a young woman out there who learned the knuckleball from Joe, too, she's pitching in high school, at an age when most girls have been steered to softball.