Phil Niekro made his major league debut the year I was born; 18 years later, he pitched the Braves to their 2nd NL West Division title.
The 43-year-old Niekro went 17-4 for the Braves that 1982 season, a team that ended up 16 games over .500, and whose only other starter with a record above .500 was the rather pedestrian Bob Walk. He was able to accomplish this record due to the fact that he was a wizard and possibly a Highlander [citation needed]. The highlight of the season came the final weekend, with the Braves nursing a one-game lead over the Dodgers.