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4h ago

White Sox Knuckleball Great Wilbur Wood Dies at 84

The team said he died Saturday, prompting renewed attention to a career defined by a knuckleball and workloads rarely seen in modern baseball.

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ATLANTA, GA - JULY 25: Wilbur Wood #28 of the Chicago White Sox and American League All-Stars pitches against the National League All-Stars during Major League Baseball All-Star game July 25, 1972 at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The National League won the game 4-3. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood throws his knuckler in April 1973 against the Rangers at Comiskey Park. (Ray Gora/Chicago Tribune)

Overview

  • The Chicago White Sox announced Wood's death at 84 on Saturday, and his wife, Janet, confirmed it to news outlets; no cause has been made public.
  • Wood pitched 17 MLB seasons for the Red Sox, Pirates and White Sox, earning three All-Star selections and becoming a franchise stalwart in Chicago.
  • He threw 376 2/3 innings in 1972, the most by a starter in the Live Ball Era, and logged 1,681 2/3 innings from 1971–75 while leading the majors in starts four times.
  • Guided by Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm, Wood committed fully to the knuckleball, dominated as a multi-inning reliever from 1967–70, then moved into the White Sox rotation in 1971.
  • A line drive from Ron LeFlore fractured his kneecap in May 1976, after which he struggled and retired following 1978, finishing with a 164–156 record and a 3.24 ERA over 2,684 innings.