Joe Niekro Honored with a Star on the Walk of Fame

Natalie Niekro kneels next to her Dad’s star on the Walk of Fame

This past week was nothing less than a whirlwind…I can’t think of a better way to have celebrated my birthday.  On Friday, August 17th when I typically dread turning yet another year older, this day was quite a bit different.  Rather than attempting to blow out the candles that now cover the entire top of a cake, I was instead celebrating another event…accepting Dad’s star on the   Astros Walk of Fame.  Joe Niekro, the knuckleball pitcher who’s won more games than any other pitcher in Astros history, was inducted into the Astros Walk of Fame on Friday afternoon.

With media and reporters surrounding the induction stage in the steamy outside Houston temperatures,  I couldn’t help but feel the chill that overcame my body as Dad’s star was revealed to the public.   An honor LONG overdue, Dad’s Astros success is now acknowledged along Texas Ave. with several other Astro greats.

Thank you to the Astros organization for the wonderful honor and for allowing me to be a part of this celebration.  Houston was always our home and by far out of the seven teams my dad played for, it was definitely the one he enjoyed the most, so it means a lot to me and to my family to see Dad now recognized along this prestigous walk.  We just have to get No. 36 hanging from the rafters.  That’s my next mission.

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