OT: R.I.P. - Wilbur Wood Age 84

[Colbert17!]

The last of the great knuckleball pitchers has passed away. If you were a baseball fan in the early 70s you knew all about him. The 20 game winner is extinct in baseball now. Wood won 20+ four years in a row!!!! He pitched so much and so often that in 1973 he won 20 and also lost 20 in the same season (24-20). He nearly matched that the following year going 20-19. It's doubtful that we'll ever see someone like him again.
R.I.P.

 

[famousbill19]

RIP Wilber, but did you Consider RA Dickie as the last great knuckleballer? He did win a Cy Young in 2012. Neither were Hall of Famers, but had nice careers.

 

[RUPete90]

RIP Wilbur! Almost forgot about RA. Definitely worth a mention since he won the Cy Young. I recently read a book about the Oakland A's dynasty in the 70s and I couldn't believe how many innings guys would throw back then.

 

[Knight Shift]

RIP Wilber, but did you Consider RA Dickie as the last great knuckleballer? He did win a Cy Young in 2012. Neither were Hall of Famers, but had nice careers.

Really. R.A. Dickey has something to say:

 

[MADHAT1]

Remember him well and sad to hear of his passing
Had a good career lasting 17 years and an incredible 24-20 season in 1973

Wilbur Wood Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Wilbur Wood. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

 

[RUPete90]

Remember him well and sad to hear of his passing
Had a good career lasting 17 years and an incredible 24-20 season in 1973

Wilbur Wood Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Wilbur Wood. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

24-20 says it all. I can’t fathom that many decisions in a season today.

 

[bac2therac]

Was a big Chcago White Sox fan growing up. Part of my childhood has died

Wood's 90 wins from 1971–74 were the most by a major league pitcher during that span.

RIP Wilbur

 

[PiscatawayMike]

Was a big Chcago White Sox fan growing up. Part of my childhood has died

Wood's 90 wins from 1971–74 were the most by a major league pitcher during that span.

RIP Wilbur

How did you become a White Sox fan? The 1970s ChiSox certainly weren't loaded with stars.

https://www.ainsworthsports.com/baseball_player_rankings_by_franchise_chicago_white_sox_1970s.htm

What I remember most were the three games they wore shorts in 1976.

 

[RUPete90]

How did you become a White Sox fan? The 1970s ChiSox certainly weren't loaded with stars.

https://www.ainsworthsports.com/baseball_player_rankings_by_franchise_chicago_white_sox_1970s.htm

What I remember most were the three games they wore shorts in 1976.

Don’t sleep on Eric Soderholm, Francisco Berrios and Ralph Garr! Honestly though, how could you ignore them with all that Bill Veeck stuff going on? I still need to read his biography that I have laying around my house.

 

[Colbert17!]

When you look at Dickey he had the one great season and never came close to 20 win season either before or after the CYA.

Was a big Chcago White Sox fan growing up. Part of my childhood has died

Wood's 90 wins from 1971–74 were the most by a major league pitcher during that span.

RIP Wilbur

You must have been a big Bill Melton fan

 

[Colbert17!]

How did you become a White Sox fan? The 1970s ChiSox certainly weren't loaded with stars.

https://www.ainsworthsports.com/baseball_player_rankings_by_franchise_chicago_white_sox_1970s.htm

What I remember most were the three games they wore shorts in 1976.

A high school teammate of mine played for Glens Falls in the Eastern League in the late 70s. They wore those uniforms a few times.

 

[Colbert17!]

Don’t sleep on Eric Soderholm, Francisco Berrios and Ralph Garr! Honestly though, how could you ignore them with all that Bill Veeck stuff going on? I still need to read his biography that I have laying around my house.

And Dick Allen joined the Chisox in 1972 giving us one of the greatest SI covers.

 

[RCBeta]

Don't forget Phil Niekro (318 wins) and Joe Niekro (221 wins).

 

[RUBubba]

Tim Wakefield.

 

[Colbert17!]

Tim Wakefield.

Good one

 

[RULoyal]

My Dad and I were at game 1 twi-night double header at Yankees Stadium in '73. Wood got shelled and pulled early and then started game 2. We didn't stay for game 2 - I think there was a delay if memory serves.

 

[LeapinLou]

My Dad and I were at game 1 twi-night double header at Yankees Stadium in '73. Wood got shelled and pulled early and then started game 2. We didn't stay for game 2 - I think there was a delay if memory serves.

I don't remember that. He gets pulled for being ineffective and they they start him two hours later? Goodness gracious how times have changed.

 

[LeapinLou]

I don't remember that. He gets pulled for being ineffective and they they start him two hours later? Goodness gracious how times have changed.

Just googled it - you're correct:

Yes, Wilbur Wood started both games of a doubleheader on July 20, 1973, against the New York Yankees, becoming the last pitcher in Major League history to do so, though he lost both games, including the opener after getting knocked out early. He also accomplished a unique form of "double duty" on May 28, 1973, finishing a suspended game and then starting and winning the regularly scheduled nightcap against the Cleveland Indians.

 

[RULoyal]

I don't remember that. He gets pulled for being ineffective and they they start him two hours later? Goodness gracious how times have changed.

Don’t think it was two hours - as I recall there was a delay between games and game 2 started pretty late which is why we left.

 

[RUdad]

RIP Wilbur.

 

[RUdad]

I don't remember that. He gets pulled for being ineffective and they they start him two hours later? Goodness gracious how times have changed.

In 1950 Don Newcombe of the Dodgers & Bubba Church of the Phils hooked up in the 1st game of a DH. Newcombe & the Dodgers won 2-0. Newcombe went all the way, not sure about Church. Newcombe then came out & went the first 7 innings of the second & left trailing 2-0. Dodgers came back & won 3-2.

 

[Retired711]

In 1950 Don Newcombe of the Dodgers & Bubba Church of the Phils hooked up in the 1st game of a DH. Newcombe & the Dodgers won 2-0. Newcombe went all the way, not sure about Church. Newcombe then came out & went the first 7 innings of the second & left trailing 2-0. Dodgers came back & won 3-2.

Thanks for mentioning this! The doubleheader was September 6. The Phils and the Dodgers were in a tight pennant race. (The Phillies won it at the end of the month thanks to Dick Sisler's tenth-inning homer.) It says a lot about Newcombe that the Dodgers wanted him to pitch both games of a crucial doubleheader.

 

[MADHAT1]

In 1950 Don Newcombe of the Dodgers & Bubba Church of the Phils hooked up in the 1st game of a DH. Newcombe & the Dodgers won 2-0. Newcombe went all the way, not sure about Church. Newcombe then came out & went the first 7 innings of the second & left trailing 2-0. Dodgers came back & won 3-2.

Church lasted 6

Brooklyn Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score: September 6, 1950 | Baseball-Reference.com

Brooklyn Dodgers beat Philadelphia Phillies (2-0). Sep 6, 1950, Attendance: Not Given, Time of Game: 2:15. Visit Baseball-Reference.com for the complete box score, play-by-play, and win probability

www.baseball-reference.com

2nd game

Brooklyn Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score: September 6, 1950 | Baseball-Reference.com

Brooklyn Dodgers beat Philadelphia Phillies (3-2). Sep 6, 1950, Attendance: 32279, Time of Game: 2:10. Visit Baseball-Reference.com for the complete box score, play-by-play, and win probability

www.baseball-reference.com

some names I remember in both linups and the Phillies pitcher in 2nd game was part of the one two punch of the Phillies rotation
Robin Roberts was the other
Church was 8-6 for the season 2.73 ERA in 142 innings (18 starts)

 

[TheREALRutgers1976]

My Dad and I were at game 1 twi-night double header at Yankees Stadium in '73. Wood got shelled and pulled early and then started game 2. We didn't stay for game 2 - I think there was a delay if memory serves.

My brother and I were at that doubleheader as well. I think the Yanks won both games.

 

[RULoyal]

My brother and I were at that doubleheader as well. I think the Yanks won both games.

Yup and Wood was credited with both losses.

 

[Retired711]

Church lasted 6

Brooklyn Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score: September 6, 1950 | Baseball-Reference.com

Brooklyn Dodgers beat Philadelphia Phillies (2-0). Sep 6, 1950, Attendance: Not Given, Time of Game: 2:15. Visit Baseball-Reference.com for the complete box score, play-by-play, and win probability

www.baseball-reference.com

2nd game

Brooklyn Dodgers vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score: September 6, 1950 | Baseball-Reference.com

Brooklyn Dodgers beat Philadelphia Phillies (3-2). Sep 6, 1950, Attendance: 32279, Time of Game: 2:10. Visit Baseball-Reference.com for the complete box score, play-by-play, and win probability

www.baseball-reference.com

some names I remember in both linups and the Phillies pitcher in 2nd game was part of the one two punch of the Phillies rotation
Robin Roberts was the other
Church was 8-6 for the season 2.73 ERA in 142 innings (18 starts)

You may know that Phillies reliever Jim Konstanty started the first game of the World Series against the Yankees. The reason was that the Phillies had exhausted their starters during the final week of the pennant race.

 

[RUdad]

You may know that Phillies reliever Jim Konstanty started the first game of the World Series against the Yankees. The reason was that the Phillies had exhausted their starters during the final week of the pennant race.

Played against Konstanty's son for 2 or 3 yrs when he played for Cornell. Think he caught--maybe 1st.

 

[MADHAT1]

Played against Konstanty's son for 2 or 3 yrs when he played for Cornell. Think he caught--maybe 1st.

believe a catcher, from a google search of Cornell 1963 roster

 

[RUdad]

Thanks Madhat1. Thought he caught. Gary Wood, a future Giant QB played center for them. Also played against Wood when he QBacked Cornell. They also had kicker Pete Gogolak, who also kicked for the Giants. First soccer style place kicker.

 

[wheezer]

I don't remember that. He gets pulled for being ineffective and they they start him two hours later? Goodness gracious how times have changed.

Coach Casey Stengel of the Mets did the same once, back in the 60's
with whoever he considered the ace of the Mets staff
Pitcher was the loser in both games
Can't find the specifics

 

[RULoyal]

Coach Casey Stengel of the Mets did the same once, back in the 60's
with whoever he considered the ace of the Mets staff
Pitcher was the loser in both games
Can't find the specifics

Also we have to remember that Wood wasn't exactly stressing his arm throwing almost exclusively knuckleballs at that point in his career.

 

[wheezer]

Also we have to remember that Wood wasn't exactly stressing his arm throwing almost exclusively knuckleballs at that point in his career.

Agreed, a knuckleballer doesn't throw as,hard because the ball will dance if the pitch is delivered correctly

 

[RUBubba]

Coach Casey Stengel of the Mets did the same once, back in the 60's
with whoever he considered the ace of the Mets staff
Pitcher was the loser in both games
Can't find the specifics

Craig Anderson won both ends of a double header in 1962 for the Mets then proceeded to lose his next 19 decisions.

 

[RUdad]

Thanks Madhat1. Thought he caught. Gary Wood, a future Giant QB played center for them. Also played against Wood when he QBacked Cornell. They also had kicker Pete Gogolak, who also kicked for the Giants. First soccer style place kicker.

Gogolak is still the Giants leading scorer.