On Oct. 1, the Boston Red Sox released a message before their final game against the Baltimore Orioles that Red Sox Hall of Fame starting pitcher Tim Wakefield passed away at age 57. Wakefield was a prominent member of the Red Sox and the NESN broadcasting team.
Wakefield began his career as a first baseman in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization but struggled his first year in the big leagues. It seemed that his career in Major League Baseball (MLB) was over, but in 1989, Wakefield was playing catch with another teammate. They were both trying to throw knuckleballs. The manager for the Pirates, Jim Leyland, watched him throw his knuckleball and decided to make him a pitcher. What turned from a mediocre prospect for the Pirates became a 19-year career in MLB.
Wakefield was later released by the Pirates in 1995. He was signed by the Red Sox six days later by general manager Dan Duquette, the general manager at the time. After first arriving in Boston, Wakefield would go 14-1 with a 1.65 ERA (Earned Run Average) in his first 17 games. He was a crucial contributor to nine postseason teams for the club. Additionally, in the 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS) against their bitter rival, the New York Yankees, Wakefield gave up his scheduled start for game four to preserve the bullpen in game four, where the Yankees defeated the Red Sox 19-8. After Boston’s game seven victory in that same series, Wakefield stood on top of Yankee Stadium’s pitching mound. He soaked it all in because just one year prior, he gave up a walk-off home run in game seven of the 2003 ALCS to send the Yankees to the World Series.
Wakefield was not only an extraordinary player on the field for his teammates; he was also a strong member of the community in and around Boston. During his career and after his retirement, Wakefield divulged himself into the cancer-fighting research foundation, The Jimmy Fund, and became honorary chairman of the Red Sox Foundation. This would result in eight nominations for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, an award that is annually given to a player in the MLB who embodies magnificent character, is an active community member, and positively contributes to philanthropy. He would go on to win the award in 2010.
Wakefield’s efforts did not end there. He would join the NESN broadcast booth as both a color commentator and pregame analyst for the Red Sox, where his character shined larger than life. His infectious laugh and interesting stories made him a fan-favorite on NESN.
In the end, Wakefield went on to finish with 200 wins, 186 of those with the Red Sox. Only Roger Clemens and Cy Young finished with more than him. Three days after the information on his brain cancer diagnosis hit the public, Wakefield passed away. His memory is lived on today by his wife, Stacy, who is also fighting her own battle with cancer, and their two children, Brianna and Trevor.
