Wilbur Wood, renowned knuckleball pitcher for the White Sox, has passed away at 84.

Wilbur Wood Passes Away at 84

Wilbur Wood, the former MLB knuckleball pitcher, passed away on Saturday at the age of 84.

Over the course of his 17-year career, Wood led major league baseball in games pitched twice and made four All-Star starts. He spent 12 of those years playing for teams like the Red Sox, Pirates, and White Sox.

His death occurred at a Burlington, Massachusetts hospital.

In an impressive season in 1972, Wood made history by pitching 376 2/3 innings and starting 49 games, both records that stand since 1908. It’s hard to imagine anyone matching those numbers again.

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Wood excelled in sports during his high school years at Belmont.

Throughout his professional journey, he was named an American League All-Star three times and achieved four seasons with 20 or more wins. His career extended from 1961 to 1978, culminating in a record of 164 wins and 156 losses.

Wood debuted with the Red Sox at the young age of 19.

“He was definitely a pitcher who drew attention,” recalled Roland Hemond, a former Sox executive. Hemond first met Wood during a tryout after high school. “I still remember him as this lanky, chubby kid who didn’t throw hard. I mean, I wasn’t overly impressed when I saw him take batting practice.”

In another lighthearted moment, Hemond mentioned how they once fed Wood hot dogs after his tryout and found he had quite the appetite. He was a likeable person, making it tough to tell him he wasn’t pitching enough.

Known initially for his occasional knuckleball, Wood began to develop it further when he joined the White Sox, with guidance from Hoyt Wilhelm, a legendary knuckleball pitcher.

“Hoyt advised me to focus solely on the knuckleball,” Wood once shared, “because I wasn’t finding much success with my other pitches. Honestly, I had nothing to lose.”