About Us
Board of Advisors:
The Kiz Board of Advisors was formed to bring a diverse group of knowledgeable advisors together to assist in product design and development. Since Kiz Toys’ product lines cover a broad range of interests, each member of the Board of Advisors is aligned with certain products that correspond to their background and expertise. Each member spends time reviewing product designs and development on an ongoing basis and offers suggestions on current and future products.
Kevin Ream - Gary Dunwoody
- Ray Johnson
- Warren Johnson
Phil Niekro -
Phil Niekro is a baseball legend and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame whose position on the Board of Advisors is as a consultant on the KizSport baseball line.
His Major League career spanned 23 years, beginning in 1964 with the Milwaukee Braves. As the most successful knuckleball pitcher of all time, he posted 318 career wins, 3,342 strikeouts, 45 shutouts and boasted a 3.35 career ERA. He was a five-time Major League Baseball All-Star, a five-time Golden Glove winner, a recipient of the Lou Gering Memorial Award and the Roberto Clemente Award. He led the National League in wins in 1974 and 1979 (20, 21), in ERA in 1967 (1.87), strikeouts in 1977 (262) and innings pitched in 1974 and 1977-79.
Niekro pitched for the Braves for 20 seasons, 18 of which were in Atlanta. On August 5, 1973, Niekro pitched the first no-hitter for the Braves since the organization moved to Atlanta, shutting down the San Diego Padres for a 9-0 win. His loyalty to the Braves and his charitable contributions made him a popular figure in the Atlanta area and throughout Georgia.
During the final years of his career, Niekro pitched for the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays. He earned 121 wins after the age of 40, setting a MLB record, and he became the oldest pitcher to pitch a shutout in the major leagues in 1985 at the age of 46. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 by the Baseball Writers' Association of America after receiving votes on 80.3 percent of ballots, the highest percentage of any player that year. Niekro was only the 13 th pitcher in MLB history to win 300 games, he is a member of the 3,000 strikeout club, and his total of 5,404? innings pitched is the most by any pitcher in the modern baseball era.
In retirement, Niekro remains an institution in Atlanta and across the nation, not only for his accomplished career but also for his ongoing work with various charitable organizations.
“Mr. Niekro is one of the biggest names in baseball history, and we at Kiz Toys are honored for him to join our team,” said Kiz Toys president and co-founder, Chris Moreau. “His wealth of knowledge about baseball will be a great asset to our KizSport baseball line. Anytime you have someone as accomplished and respected as Mr. Niekro on board, you know that you are getting the best advice possible.”