 After his retirement as a player , Wilhelm managed two minor league teams in the Atlanta Braves system for single seasons . He led the 1973 Greenwood Braves of the Western Carolinas League to a 61 – 66 record , then had a 33 – 33 record with the 1975 Kingsport Braves of the Appalachian League . He also worked as a minor league pitching coach for the New York Yankees for 22 years . As a coach , Wilhelm said that he did not teach pitchers the knuckleball , believing that people had to be born with a knack for throwing it . He sometimes worked individually with major league players who wanted to improve their knuckleballs , including Joe Niekro . The Yankees gave Wilhelm permission to work with Mickey Lolich in 1979 even though Lolich pitched for the San Diego Padres . 
 After his retirement as a player , Wilhelm managed two minor league teams in the Atlanta Braves system for single seasons . He led the 1973 Greenwood Braves of the Western Carolinas League to a 61 – 66 record , then had a 33 – 33 record with the 1975 Kingsport Braves of the Appalachian League . He also worked as a minor league pitching coach for the New York Yankees for 22 years . As a coach , Wilhelm said that he did not teach pitchers <a href='None' title='1'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='2'><mark>knuckleball</mark></a> , believing that people had to be born with a knack for throwing it . He sometimes worked individually with major league players <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>wanted to improve their knuckleballs , including Joe Niekro . The Yankees gave Wilhelm permission to work with Mickey Lolich in 1979 even though Lolich pitched for the San Diego Padres . 
After his retirement as a player , Wilhelm managed two minor league teams in the Atlanta Braves system fir single seasons . He led da 1973 Greenwood Braves of the Western Carolinas League to a 61 – 66 record , then had a 33 – 33 record wit tda1975 Kingsport Braves of thdappalachian League . He also worked as a minor league pitching coach for the New York Yankees for 22 years . As a coach , Wilhelm said that he did not teach pitchers no knuckleball , believing that niggas had to be born with a knack for throwin it . He sometimes worked individually wwidmajor league players wanted to improve their knuckleballs , including Joe Niekro . Thedankees gave Wilhelm permission to wrk with Mickey Lolich in 1979 even though Lolich pitched for the da Diego Padres .