Boston Purple Sox starter Tim Wakefield works within the second inning of a baseball sport towards the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta, June 27, 2009. Wakefield has died at age 57. John Bazemore/AP disguise caption
toggle caption
John Bazemore/AP
Boston Purple Sox starter Tim Wakefield works within the second inning of a baseball sport towards the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta, June 27, 2009. Wakefield has died at age 57.
John Bazemore/AP
BOSTON — Tim Wakefield, the knuckleballing workhorse of the Purple Sox pitching employees who bounced again after giving up a season-ending house run to the Yankees within the 2003 playoffs to assist Boston win its curse-busting World Sequence title the next 12 months, has died. He was 57.
The Purple Sox introduced his loss of life in an announcement Sunday. Wakefield had mind most cancers, in accordance with ex-teammate Curt Schilling, who outed the sickness on a podcast final week — drawing an outpouring of help for Wakefield. The Purple Sox confirmed an sickness on the time however didn’t elaborate, saying Wakefield had requested privateness.
Drafted by the Pirates as a primary baseman who set house run information in faculty, Wakefield transformed to a pitcher after mastering the knuckleball within the minor leagues. Counting on the old-timey pitch that had largely fallen into disuse, he went on to win 200 main league video games, together with 186 with the Purple Sox — behind solely Cy Younger and Roger Clemens in franchise historical past.
However it was his position within the Purple Sox-Yankees rivalry of the early 2000s that turned Wakefield right into a fan favourite whose affect went far past his numbers.
After New York rallied to tie Recreation 7 of the ’03 AL Championship Sequence, Wakefield got here on in aid within the eleventh inning and Aaron Boone hit his first pitch for a walkoff house run to finish Boston’s season and prolong a World Sequence drought that stretched again to 1918.
The next October, with the Purple Sox season once more in danger towards the Yankees within the ALCS, Wakefield obtained 9 outs in additional innings of Recreation 5, organising David Ortiz to win it within the 14th. The Purple Sox went on to finish their comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit after which sweep St. Louis within the World Sequence to say their first championship in 86 years.
“He was a terrific competitor when he took that mound,” former teammate Kevin Youkilis mentioned on the published of Sunday’s Purple Sox sport. “He was only a nice teammate and only a nice pal. Had the posh of taking part in with him on the sphere, within the sales space, and simply glad that I had the chance over time to be alongside of him.”
The Purple Sox, and Wakefield, received all of it once more in 2007.
“There have been some years there the place I did not know if I used to be going to come back again or not,” Wakefield mentioned at his 2012 retirement information convention. “However I am very grateful that I have been capable of put this uniform on for such a very long time, and win two World Sequence for this nice metropolis.”
Wakefield was 11-3 when he made his solely All-Star Recreation in 2009, changing into the second-oldest participant — to Satchel Paige — ever chosen to his first All-Star Recreation. Wakefield was the oldest participant in baseball at 45 when he earned his 2 hundredth win in September 2011, retiring his last six batters.
He introduced his retirement the next spring coaching, seven wins in need of breaking the franchise report for wins held by Clemens and Younger.
“I am nonetheless a competitor, however finally I feel that is what’s finest for the Purple Sox,” he mentioned on the time. “I feel that is what’s finest for my household. And to be sincere with you, seven wins is not going to make me a unique particular person or a greater man. So, my household actually wants me at house.”
An eighth-round Pittsburgh draft choose in 1988, Wakefield transformed to a pitcher two years later in an effort to revive his possibilities of making the majors. He obtained his callup halfway via the 1992 season and went 8-1, ending third within the NL rookie of the 12 months voting.
He added two full video games within the NL playoffs — one in Recreation 6 to maintain Pittsburgh alive. (He was voted the MVP of the Sequence late in Recreation 7, earlier than the Atlanta Braves rallied to win on Francisco Cabrera’s single with two out within the backside of the ninth.)
However Wakefield was unable to recapture his success in his second 12 months in Pittsburgh, going 6-11 with a 5.61 ERA. He was launched by the Pirates after one other journey via the minors, and signed six days later by the Purple Sox.
Wakefield once more strung collectively a dominant run, beginning 14-1 in 1995 earlier than ending the 12 months at 16-8 with a 2.95 ERA. After 17 seasons with Boston, he retired because the franchise chief with 3,006 innings and 430 begins, and second in video games and strikeouts.
In all, he was 200-180 with a 4.41 ERA.
Wakefield was additionally an eight-time nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award that goes to a ballplayer for exemplary sportsmanship and neighborhood involvement, profitable it in 2010.
“Tim was greater than only a versatile and dependable All-Star pitcher, a extremely revered teammate, and a two-time World Sequence champion,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned in an announcement, citing “the devoted work he and his household did serving the communities of New England.”
After retiring, Wakefield turned an analyst for Purple Sox broadcasts and remained lively within the group’s charities.
“Tim’s kindness and indomitable spirit have been as legendary as his knuckleball,” Purple Sox proprietor John Henry mentioned. “He not solely captivated us on the sphere however was the uncommon athlete whose legacy prolonged past the report books to the numerous lives he touched along with his heat and real spirit. He had a outstanding capability to uplift, encourage, and join with others in a manner that confirmed us the true definition of greatness. He embodied the perfect of what it means to be a member of the Boston Purple Sox and his loss is felt deeply by all of us.”
