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Wilbur Wood, a three-time All-Star pitcher who made opposing batters swing and miss with a nasty knuckleball, has died, the Chicago White Sox announced. He was 84 years old.
Wood spent 17 seasons in the majors from 1961 to 1978, spending 12 seasons with the White Sox. He also played for the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Chicago White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood in action during the 1968 season. (Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
“The White Sox extend our condolences to the family, friends and fans of three-time All-Star Wilbur Wood, who passed away at the age of 84,” the team said on social media.
Wilbur debuted with the Red Sox in 1961 as a 19-year-old pitcher, then ended up with the Pirates in his early 20s. But he made his biggest impact with the White Sox.
He started as a reliever for the White Sox. He led the majors in 1968 by appearing in 88 games, then led the American League the next two years when he appeared in 76 games in 1969 and 77 games in 1970.
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Chicago White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood (8) delivers a pitch at Comiskey Park during the 1973 season. (Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
Wood was thrust into the starting role in 1971 and did his best to perfect the knuckleball to put less strain on his throwing arm. He became an incredible workhorse pitcher, leading the majors in games started from 1972 to 1975. He won at least 20 games from 1971 to 1974.
He suffered a broken kneecap during a line drive early in the 1976 season. When he returned to the mound, Wood began to struggle. His ERA rose to 5.20 in 28 games in 1978, what would be the final season of his career.
He finished his career with a 3.24 ERA and 1,411 strikeouts. The 376.2 innings he pitched during the 1972 season were the most by a starter in a single season in the Live Ball era (since 1920), according to MLB.com.
Chicago White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood (8) delivers a pitch during the 1974 season at Cleveland Stadium. (Malcolm Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)
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Wood finished in the top three in AL Cy Young Award voting in 1971 and 1972.
