On This Date in Sports July 20, 1973: Starting with Wood
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
Chicago White Sox Knuckleballer Wilbur Wood becomes the last pitcher to start both ends of a doubleheader. Wood takes the loss in both games as the New York Yankees sweep the White Sox in the Bronx. In the first game, Wilbur Wood does not record an out, as the Yankees score eight runs in the first, six of which came against the White Sox starter, as New York wins 12-2. In the nightcap, Wood makes it into the fifth but allows seven runs as Chicago is blanked 7-0.
Wilbur Wood was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on October 22, 1941. The son of a grocer, Wood was a multisport star in high school and drew interest from several top programs to play either football, hockey, or baseball. However, given a chance, Wilbur Wood chose to sign with his hometown Boston Red Sox, in 1959. Wood quickly moved up the Red Sox farm system and made his debut in 1961. A southpaw, Wood is one of five left-handed knuckleballers to play in the majors.
Through the early part of his career, Wilbur Wood had trouble staying in the majors as the Red Sox were unimpressed by his knuckleball and rarely gave him a chance to play in Fenway. Wood would be released by Boston in 1964, losing five games without a win in his first four seasons. Wilbur Wood earned his first major league win with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1965 before being dealt to the Chicago White Sox after spending the entire 1966 season in the minors.
With the White Sox, Wilbur Wood found a role in the bullpen, becoming one of the more reliable and versatile relievers in baseball. He set a record with 88 relief appearances in 1968 to earn the American League Fireman award. In 1971, manager Chuck Tanner converted Wood into a starter. That season, he was the top hurler on the Southside, winning 22 games to reach the All-Star Game while finishing third in Cy Young voting. Wood won 24 games to lead the American League in 1972, finishing second in the vote for the Cy Young.
Wilbur Wood was having another strong season, with a record of 18-12, when Chuck Tanner asked him to start both ends of a doubleheader. The first game started on the wrong on the wrong foot for Wood and the White Sox as he struck out Horace Clarke; however, Ed Herrmann had a passed ball, allowing Clark to reach base. Roy White had a two-run double following a walk to Matty Alou to start the scoring. Bobby Murcer followed with a single, and the onslaught was on. Following hits by Thurman Munson and Craig Nettles, Wilbur Wood headed for an early shower, allowing six runs on four hits, with one strikeout, despite not recording an out. The Yankees would win the game 12-2, with Doc Medich getting the win.
After his bad start in the opener, Wilbur Wood took the mound in the nightcap, facing Sam McDowell. Wood had a much better start, as he was perfect through the first three innings. Misfortune befell Wood in the fourth inning, as the Yankees scored two unearned runs with errors by third baseman Bill Melton and right fielder Johnny Jeter, who dropped a fly ball hit by Celerino Sanchez with two outs. In the fifth inning, New York loaded the bases and stretched the lead to 5-0 with a hit by Matty Alou. The next batter Roy White hit a grand slam to end the day for Wilbur Wood. In Game 2, Wood pitched four and one-third innings, allowing seven runs on five hits, with one strikeout. The Yankees won the game, 7-0, as the game was stopped by rain in the sixth inning.
Wilbur Wood would lead the American League with 24 wins in 1973, losing 20 to become the first pitcher in 58 years to win 20 and lose 20 in the same season.