Phil Niekro, Hall of Fame knuckleballer who starred with Braves, dies aged 81

• Atlanta Braves pitcher won 318 games over 24-year career
• Niekro also played for Yankees, Indians and Blue Jays

Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, who pitched well into his 40s with a knuckleball that baffled big league hitters for more than two decades, mostly with the Atlanta Braves, has died after a long fight with cancer, the team announced Sunday. He was 81.

The Braves said Niekro died Saturday night in his sleep. He lived in the Atlanta suburb of Flowery Branch, where a main thoroughfare bears his name.