Chicago White Sox legend Wilbur Wood passes away

Wilbur Wood was not just an icon for the Chicago White Sox, but for Major League Baseball

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Wood made his major league debut on June 30, 1961, with the Boston Red Sox as a 19-year-old. While facing the then-Cleveland Indians, Wood showed what made him a great major leaguer, pitching four innings, striking out three, allowing three hits, one walk, and allowing two earned runs.

Wood would eventually make his way to the White Sox in 1966 after bouncing from the Red Sox to the Pittsburgh Pirates when the Pirates traded Wood to the Sox for pitcher Juan Pizarro. Wood would then spend the rest of his career (12 seasons, 1967-78) with the White Sox, going 163-148 with a 3.18 ERA and striking out 1,322 batters.

What made Wood so unique in his career, and what gave him the longevity he had (17 seasons), was his ability to master the ever-elusive knuckleball. Wood was the most notable left-handed knuckleballer the game has seen, with the rest being right-handed.