Longtime big league knuckleballer Wilbur Wood passed away on Saturday at age 84. A left-handed workhorse starter, Wood was a three-time All-Star over a 17-year MLB career that included stints with the White Sox, Pirates, and Red Sox.
It took Wood a while to really establish himself in the big leagues, as after making his MLB debut with Boston in 1961, Wood threw only 159 2/3 innings over 73 appearances from 1961-65. A trade from the Red Sox to the Pirates in 1964 at least gave Wood regular bullpen duty during the 1965 season, but after spending the entire 1966 campaign with Pittsburgh’s Triple-A team, he was traded to the White Sox in the move that really unlocked Wood’s career.
Future Hall-of-Famer Hoyt Wilhelm was a member of that Chicago team, and the veteran took Wood under his wing by teaching him some of the tricks of Wilhelm’s knuckleball. Wood had thrown the pitch on-and-off in the past, but under Wilhelm’s tutelage and encourage, Wood adopted the pitch on a regular basis and the rest was history. Over 292 games and 495 2/3 innings from 1967-70, Wood posted a 2.49 ERA as a fireman out of the White Sox bullpen, often tossing multiple innings in all sorts of situations as a closer, leverage set-up man, or just innings-eater.
The White Sox moved Wood back into the rotation in advance of the 1971 season, setting the table for a five-year run of numbers that seems impossible by today’s modern pitching standards. Wood posted a 3.08 ERA over 227 appearances (224 of them starts) and a whopping 1681 2/3 innings from 1971-75, leading the majors in starts four times over that span and twice leading MLB in innings. Wood’s success was recognized with a runner-up finish in AL Cy Young Award voting in 1972, and he also finished third in the Cy race in 1971 and fifth in 1973. Wood was named to the AL All-Star team in 1971, 1972, and 1974.
Even in an era when starters were expected to carry a heavier workload and four-man rotations weren’t uncommon, Wood’s knuckler-powered durability stood out. Wood’s 376 2/3 IP in 1972 is the highest single-season mark of any pitcher from 1918 to the present day. To put Wood’s 1972 season in perspective, MLB’s top two leaders in innings pitched in 2025 (Logan Webb and Garrett Crochet) combined for 412 1/3 innings last year.
Unfortunately for Wood, the White Sox weren’t particularly competitive during his five-year dream run. He became one of only a few pitchers in modern baseball history to both win and lose 20 games in a season when Wood went 24-20 in 1973. Wood won at least 20 games every year from 1971-74, and he also lost 20 more games in 1975.
Wood’s amazing run of durability ended when his kneecap was broken by a line drive off the bat of the Tigers’ Ron LeFlore in May 1976, which ended his season. Wood was never the same after the injury, as the southpaw posted a 5.11 ERA over 290 2/3 innings for Chicago in 1977-78. He decided to retire, concluding his career with a 164-156 record, a 3.24 ERA, 6.5% walk rate, and 12.7% strikeout rate over 651 games and 2684 innings.
We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Wood’s family, loved ones, and many fans.
All you had was a headless pic ?
RIP
Wilbur Wood was the last player to ever be t the starting pitcher in both games of a double header. No, he wasn’t an “Opener”! When Wilbur Wood walked out of the dugout, his intention was to go 9.
1971-1975 numbers are something we’ll never see again where he went over 300 innings 5 years in a row (375 IP in 1972). If he were a SP his entire career, first ballot HOFer.
1972 was shortened to 154 games due to the strike. Wilbur started 49 of them. Had the other 8 games been played Wilbur starts at least 2 of them. He threw 376.2 innings, he would have reached 390-395 innings. 2.99 FIP 10.7 WAR over 376 innings in a single season after a 1971 season that saw him throw 334 innings of 2.63 FIP 11.7 WAR. Amazing.
Probably never happen again.
RIP Wilbur
That’s an impressive run of stamina. B-REF has his nickname as “Wilbah,” but seems like it could have also been Workhorse.
I think he is the last ever to win 20 and lose 20 the same season going 24 and 20 , amazing. In the modern era,
Probably? You think
Phil Niekro went 21-20 in 1979. I believe he’s the last one, but I could be wrong. But man, another of my baseball cards has passed on. RIP Mr. Wood.
Wilbur Wood was Buddhist
You start both gms of a dh: you dont end up in the HOF. You have your own VIP room there with express elevator!
Crazy that startng both ganes of a double-header was left out of the bio.
He ate nothing but whiskey, beef, and chewing tobacco.
Let’s pitch two!
July 20th, 1973. How about this, he got pulled early in the first game because of an oblique injury. He came back to start the second game. How long would a guy be sidelined today? More than a few hours. By the way, he lost both games.
Maybe cause of death was decapitation
Not funny.
Headless horseman says hi to your moms
Remember him well but not that he was such a workhorse. Quite a career. RIP.
A true workhorse in the day, especially the early 70s. RIP. Eternal rest.
RIP to Wilbur, and prayers to his family. I enjoyed watching him pitch. I hope hes up there with the many ballplayers we’ve lost.
I still have his 1975 Topps card.
To W.W. My star, my perfect silence.
Saw him as a youngster at Cominsky, Rip to A Chicago legend… believe started both ends of a doubleheader in career….
@olmtiant: Do you really think it was called “Cominsky”?
Cominsky Park. Right down Turdy-fif Street from da Jewel’s.
Exactly… mohoney… the spelling and pronunciation are two different things!!!
Alan… only saw the name posted on stadium hundreds of times… spelling D- what can I say….😉
That seems like excessive posting of the sign.
I remember him when I was a young adult from the mid ’60s to the mid ’70s. He was good, stats say he was very good.
What a time to be alive back then eh gramps? Share some stories. Like Yaz and Hawk in their nehru suits? Wish we could go back in time so us whippersnappers could see the world in your eyes
No you don’t.If we wanted to know something we had to hope that the World Book Encyclopedia had the information.
The sixties was an awful time to grow up.
Somehow us grandpas made it through though.
Every other generation sees things differently.
Most of us who grew up then were happy that we did.
Others never grow up and enjoy chances to show that they haven’t.
World Book is that like Funky and Wagnel? Saw some of that at thrift store
Encyclopedia, I believe came in alphabetical sets.
That’s what we researched with in High School and a little bit in college.
Can you still find those in Thrift shops? If they are still found in shops, my eye never sees them. I never want to read them again unless I want to go down memory lane and maybe to compare the same knowledge with what is known today. History changes as more information is acquired and also as politics swing back and forth.
I wouldn’t want to grow up in any other time than the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Daryl-Good times esp the 60’s and 70’s
Thanks for sharing. If I find any old word books at thrift ill be sure to send them your way. Wonder who researched and wrote those compendia of knowledge. Think of the pressure: no internet and the number of kiddos relying on your accuracy to get their book reports right
My eyes did not acknowledge Nehru suits, they were ugly. Just my humble opinion.
I took my young (5) son to Busch Stadium for a game. Jack Clarke bombed a deep HR and a cannon sound boomed. My son freaked out, it was very loud and startling. He was trembling and crying real tears. Now some 40 years later he is still a Cards fan. That may change now since he lives up around KC and the Royals could end up back in the playoffs this year. I’m not a Royals fan because a Walmart owner used to own the Royals and cheap-as**d them out of the playoffs so many times. Surely a Walton or the husband of a Walton gave spend $250. MM more each year, hopefully buying a pennant or two.
Sure Jack Clark made many a fan cry: though not exactly for the reason you stated. Great story!
You exemplify the adage “Youth is wasted on the young.”
Yankee- Too man on here are obsessed with getting a thumbs up that they all too hard trying to be funny. They feel the need to comment on every story.
IMHO If we ere required to post our favorite MLB team logo nest to our avatar a lot of this would stop.
Won and lost 20 games in the same season. Started both games of a doubleheader. Played one season wearing shorts. All feats that will never be duplicated.
Fortunately
Lighten up
You’re right. We def need more 20 game losers and guys wearing shorts. My bad.
And if he stuck around 1 more season he could’ve ended it with “Death to Disco Night.” His unique and interesting career, as you documented, would’ve had one more mind-blowing aspect to it.But the amazing wrinkles that you’ve noted could only have come from a lefty whose primary pitch was the knuckleball. Well done, Wilbur. RIP
Wonder if he changed pants between dh starts. Portly guy: must have been stanky in ye olde locker room
@Dumpster – Only you would wonder about something like that..
@Baseball-do you know the reason why Bill Veck wanted the Chisox to wear those uniforms? I’m guessing it’s because it’s what they wore when B.V. was younger.
That 1971/1972 run is one of the best two year pitching performances in MLB history. 93 games, 91 starts, a staggering 710.2 innings, 2.23 ERA, 22.5 WAR, 42 complete games, 15 shutouts, 155 ERA+, 1.031 WHIP. That would be an amazing career, and Wood did it in just two seasons.
If you throw in 1973, it’s 30.0 WAR, 1,070.0 innings, 139 starts, 63 complete games. A true throwback to the deadball era.
Conditions are totally different in today’s game. It takes more velocity to get hitters out now.
I don’t know. When hitters are in tune to heat, a knuckleball really throws them a curve (pun intended)!
Despite his many accomplishments he will not get in the HOF.
Fans during that time, me anyway, were in awe of the knuckle ball. Now that pitch tumbled across the plate.
1971: 11.7 bwar
1972: 10.7 bwar
not too shabby
How many pitchers in MLB history have multiple 10 bwar seasons? It’s a pretty exclusive group I imagine.
29 according to Stathead
always of fan of Wilbur even thou he was not on my favorite team. as pointed out by a prior persons post he started both ends of a doubleheader and lost both games but earlier that same season he won 2 games in a day as he completed a suspended game and then started the scheduled game.
Sadly an icon passed. Hats off to old school.
376 innings pitched in ‘72.
only reason he finished 2nd in CY voting in 1972 is that he was edged out by Gaylord Perry who won 24 games with a 1.92 ERA
Rest in Paradise Wilbur.
My dad always joked that he was related to Jerry Wood. His only reason was they have the same last name so they’re related.
Kerry Wood* not Jerry Wood
Jerry Callo, not Jerry Gallo!
Jerry Seinfeld, not Larry David
Jerry Park: not Forbes Field
Jerry and Joey Gallo: not Ernest and Julio Gallo down by the schoolyard
Jerry Mouse and Tom Cat: not Itchy and Scratchy
Those dudes were fun. Heard Melty was quite the style maven back then but most remembered fondly as the genial post game analyst on Sox post game live with Chuck and Layla. Dick Allen Joe cool personified with his iconic SI juggling and stogie cover. Carlos “birthday jersey” May, Pat Kelly, Jay Johnstone and Walt “no neck” Williams? Didn’t those clubs have a young Goose Gossage, Terry Forster and Steve Stone? Musta been some bullpen. 87 win team overshadowed by the swinging As that in today’s game could have been a perennial playoff contender like the Pods or Blue Jags and snagged a World Series. People forget that going by the rules back then, we’d never be introduced to the likes of recent World Series winners like the Red Sox, Marlins, Angels, Rangers, Giants, Nats, Cards or DBacks.
Isn’t “Jerry wood” the holiday greeting of Billy Ray Valentines character in disguise when he was welcoming fellow travelers like Inga from Sveden and the parson when they were crammed in the car with Clarence Beeks hoping to sneak a peek at the FCOJ report
Jerry Wood*
*Thats what she said
A knuckeballer. One we barely see these days. A great has fallen.
WW puts the vast majority of today’s “starters” to shame.
For a short period of time, he was unstoppable.
The solution to the pitch count analytics of today.
WWWWD?
Unfortunately, in today’s game, he wouldn’t get an opportunity, as he didn’t throw hard enough, or strike out enough guys.
Statistics do not take into account outliers that can be good pitchers over a relatively long period of time.
Wibur was very good and another baseball card bites the dust. Not sure if any are even left anymore. RIP Wilbur
I have the baseball Topps cardof Wilber Wood as a about 13-15 years old kid standing buy I think a pond. Look it up by typing in Wilbur Wood baseball cards
Or maybe he would: er wood. Wouldnt it be nice to see him inducing soft contact from overgrown jacked up hitters trying to launch the meatball. 26 pitches through 7 until hitters finally wise up and take a pitch.
85 complete games in his 4-year peak lol
RIP. The last pitcher to start both games of a doubleheader.
Go look at this guy’s Baseball Reference page. Wow!
All I knew about Wilbur that he threw a knuckle ball to Reggie Jackson on opening day in 1978 in Yankee stadium. Reggie hit one out off him and fans tossed the Reggie Bars were flooded onto the field. That was some sight to be hold.
Workhorse doesn’t do the man justice. He was a freaking stud. R.I.P.
If he was playing today and his 1971-1975 numbers were instead 2021-2025 numbers he have been signed this offseason for 4 years $250M by Dodgers or Mets
Instead, he made less than $700,000 for his entire career, while while many top SPs today make more than that per start.
Yeah but tbf: 700k bought lot of beer jerky back then. Beer was like .25 and copy of the TV guide .10. Phone calls a .5?
Knuckleballers are extremely rare, but southpaw knuckleballers even moreso. In the early ’70s, he was part of an exciting White Sox team at the time (though they couldn’t get past those fantastic Oakland squads) along with Dick Allen, Bill Melton, etc. RIP to a great pitcher andeven better man by all accounts.
I’m glad Dick Allen got into the HOF. He was the definition of Cool. I know one time Nolan Ryan faced him in Anaheim he called his catcher out to mound. He told his catcher Tell Mr. Allen nothing but fast balls. He wanted to see if Dick could hit one out.
Phil Niekro later went 21-20 in 1979
Must be a knuckleballer thing lol
Not really. Pitchers back then almost always threw 270 innings or more a season.
I meant winning and losing 20 games in a season.
Almost all the teams used a 4 man rotation back then.
I remember when Ron LeFlore of the Tigers shattered Wood’s kneecap with a liner up the middle. Hall of Fame Tiger announcer Ernie Harwell gave a vivid description on radio. It take a lot of skill to draw mental pictures with just words and no video. Scary moment for Wood, and he was never the same again.
Only lefty knuckler in history?
Ryan Feierabend was a lefty knuckler very briefly when he returned to the majors. Before that you have to go back to, well, I’m not entirely sure. Kirt Ojala in the late 90’s seemed like a knuckleball pitcher but I’m not sure he was. Lefty knucklers are the rarest of rare.
Wikipedia shows a few, with Mickey Haefner and Gene Bearden the only others to have more than 2 big-league wins.
I remember Wilbur and his knuckler in my youth. A real workhorse. RIP. Condolences to his family and friends.
did you say….yutes?
over a 5 year period, 1971-1975, wilbur threw 1,681 innings.
thats an average of 336 ip / year or 129 more innings than mlb’s leader threw in 2025
jacob degrom has thrown 1539 innings in his entire career (12 seasons)
Great stuff! His 4 yrs in relief for the White Sox were insane as he averaged 114 innings per season..They couldn’t hit him!
Saw Wood pitch against Nolan Ryan. What a contrast. RIP WW
Wow that must’ve been something. I’m an Indians fan who was at Fenway in 1986 the day Roger Clemens won his 20th by beating Phil Niekro. When you entered the gate you got a “K” sign that was supposed to be used whenever Clemens struck a hitter out. We proudly stood (and laughed) every time Phil struck someone out (maybe 3-4 times) instead.
2.4 BB/9 for a walk rate 23.5% **below** league average …
Now that’s a knuckleball out of left field!
I had his signature endorsed baseball glove as a kid RIP to a real one
I never realized how young he was when his career ended–36, It boggles the mind to think what career numbers he would have had if he had been able to pitch into his mid-40’s, like other knuckleball pitchers sometimes do.
A cousin of mine lived down the street from him for years. Said Wilbur was as down-to-earth and as kind a man as you’d ever want to know. RIP.
My uncle knew him growing up in Belmont, Mass, and said the same about him. Wonder if your cousin and my uncle were friends….
That’s so good to hear. It’s always great to hear of athletes or entertainers who aren’t full of themselves. Of course, I would guess the makeup of a knuckleballer would be humble, tough-minded, clever and resourceful. Glad to hear Wilbur measured up.
Wilbur was great. RIP.
Blake Snell has 2 Cy Young Awards with a combined innings pitched of 360 innings.Wilbur Wood pitched 376 innings in 1 season.Rest in peace Wilbur you had a great fish market in Belmont Massachusetts and was always very nice to your customers/fans!
Way underrated. He’s truly a low level HOF candidate better than some already in. That’s the way it goes. But if you know baseball you know this guy.
Yeah pretty pathetic when you really think about it.
‘Splain yourself please. That looks like arather nasty comment without context.
For the love of the game I don’t really feel like it but in a nutshell, IMO Snell would be middle inning guy in 1971.
Are you an actual human?
Before he blows out his arm.
RIP Wilbur…..
R.I.P. Wilbur Wood, solid pitcher from the ’60s and ’70s.
Back in the 60s and 70s (when salaries were closer to sane), ballplayers used to have to work during the offseason. Wilbur Wood worked as a plumber in the northeast.
RIP Wilbur
Hoyt Wilhelm was the Ted Williams of the knuckleball and Wilbur Wood was the YAZ.
What a great opportunity when he got to Chicago to learn from the greatest.
Phil Niekro was the greatest of them all.
Hi brother Joe wasn’t too shabby. Except the time they found a emory board in his back pocket on the mound in Anaheim.
Great comparison.I used to say Curly Howard was like Ted Williams where Shemp Howard was like Yaz!Curly would definitely have thrown the Knuckleball!
I like Shemp.
1974 White Sox basically had a three man rotation: Wilbur Wood, Jim Kaat, and Stan Bahnsen. Almost 800 innings between the three of them!
He’s one of those guys you don’t often hear about but when you do, you can’t stop telling baseball fans about him.
Dude started *49* games one year. In the 1970s. Even Cy Young only did that once, in *1892*.
I was at that double header–last time at Yankee Stadium before going off to college. He didn’t have much stuff, got the hook, but they sent him out for Game 2. In 1973, he and Stan Bahnsen threw over 630 IP combined. Unbelivable.
I will never forget a large photograph on the front page of “The Miami Herald’s” sports section. My friend called my attention to Wilbur Wood’s agonized expression a split second after getting the liner off his knee. One of the most horrific photos in his sports photo that I can think of, no it was the worst. Fifty years ago and I remember it like yesterday. It’s why I can’t understand the logic of a young player turning down generational wealth and they haven’t seen twenty-five years. Things happen man. RIP Wilbur.
RIP
Really nice tribute piece. Those numbers are unreal.
Was he the first knuckle ball pitcher?
Nope. Hoyt Wilhem helped him develop his knuckler when he joined Sox
Not by a long shot. The 1945 Washington Senators had 4 knuckleballers on their staff. I pity their catcher.
What a great piece of information!!!! Probably a result of it being 1945 and guys were still in the service. Still pretty cool though!!!
I believe there were several before him. Hoyt Wilhelm for sure preceded Wood, & like Wood was a very good pitcher.
Wilhelm helped Wood master the knuckler
Was it Bob Uecker who answered when asked,
How do you catch a knuckle ball?
Uecker- Wait for it to STOP
Yeah Uecker used to catch Phil Niekro. He said you catch the knuckler by waiting for it to roll to the backstop and then you go pick it up.
@donl Well, Phil Niekro pitched during the same era as Wood but had a 24-year career. He’s in the Hall of Fame with 95.9 bWar and 324 wins, but apparently everyone in these comments has forgotten about him since he pitched for Atlanta or some other reason.
@Hammerin- I bet you know this being a Hank Aaron fan. But the most amazing stat (Too me anyways) is Mr. Aaron could have had zero HR’s and still have 3 thousand hits You look at his career from where he first became a regular he hardly missed a game from 1955 to 1968.
I don’t mean to steal your thunder, your point is well-taken and very cool. Shows what a great COMPLETE hitter Hank was (and a Hall-of-Fame person too). From my view, the most amazing stat I’ve ever seen (at a display at the Hall of Fame comparing Stan Musial and Ted Williams) is that Stan the Man had 3630 hits…1815 hits at home, and 1815 hits on the road. It literally didn’t matter where he played, he could hit. Now THAT’S a hitter!!!!!
Agree
As a White Sox Fan … Wilbur Wood was my favorite player during his year with the Sox. Used to listen to Sox on radio most all the time as a youth. Legend in my mind.
I always remembered those bright blue Uni’s The White Sox wore in the early 70’s
The ones with the white stirrups socks?AWESOME!!!
Thanks for all the innings and passion for the game.
His 1971 season is one of the top pitching years since 1920. 11.7 WAR!
An even 50.0 WAR for his career. Nice.
Had to break out my 1971 Topps PSA graded 9 of Wilbur. Sure lots of players from this era going down.
RIP Wilbur Wood.
Another star from my youth gone. RIP Wilbur. I remember him well. 114 career complete games. Very impressive.
What’s a complete game? Is that like a bullpen game or something?
I was listening to that game when Leflore broke his knee cap. Ernie Harwell said he rolled almost to home plate, screaming in pain
Another childhood memory passes away. Rest in peace, Wilber.
Ron LeFlore’s line drive was the finishing shot, but Wood was already fading before then. Even if primarily throwing knucklers, he was putting miles on his arm, and also hadn’t “stretched out,” doubling his previous year’s innings his first year as a starter.
R.I.P. Wilbur Wood. Man did he throw a lot of innings. 376 2/3!!?? That’s insane even in the 70’s. Come to think of it that’s a lot of innings to anyone who wasn’t playing at the turn of the century.
Because he was good, and because he was unusual–and because he was FAMOUS–he should be in the Hall of Fame.
RIP. I need to get my Wilbur Wood Rawlings glove restrung.