Tim Wakefield was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), mostly for the Boston Red Sox. He was known for his signature knuckleball pitch that baffled hitters and made him one of the most durable and versatile pitchers in the game.
He won two World Series championships with the Red Sox and was an All-Star and a Roberto Clemente Award winner. He was also a philanthropist and a broadcaster who remained active in the Red Sox community after his retirement. He died of brain cancer at the age of 57 on October 1, 2023.
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Quick Biography
Timothy Stephen Wakefield was born on August 2, 1966, in Melbourne, Florida. He was the son of Steve and Judy Wakefield. He had two brothers, Mike and Tony. He attended Eau Gallie High School, where he played baseball and basketball. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and the Student Council.
According to wikicelebs.com, he then enrolled at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), where he played college baseball for the Florida Tech Panthers. He was a first baseman who set a single-season Panthers record with 22 home runs, as well as the career home run record at 40. Tim Wakefield was named the Panthers’ team most valuable player in his sophomore and junior years. He graduated from FIT in 1988 with a degree in computer science.
Wiki / Trivia
| Name | Tim Wakefield |
|---|---|
| Birth date | August 2, 1966 |
| Birth place | Melbourne, Florida |
| Death date | October 1, 2023 |
| Death place | Satellite Beach, Florida |
| Cause of death | Brain cancer |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Position | Pitcher |
| MLB debut | July 31, 1992, for the Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Last MLB appearance | September 25, 2011, for the Boston Red Sox |
| MLB statistics | Win–loss record: 200–180; Earned run average: 4.41; Strikeouts: 2,156; Saves: 22 |
| Teams | Pittsburgh Pirates (1992–1993); Boston Red Sox (1995–2011) |
| Awards and honors | All-Star (2009); World Series champion (2004, 2007); Roberto Clemente Award (2010); Red Sox Hall of Fame (2016) |
| Net Worth (2023) | $25 million USD, approx. |
Professional Career
Pittsburgh Pirates
Wakefield was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a first baseman in the eighth round of the 1988 MLB draft. He received a $15,000 signing bonus from the Pirates. After a scout told him that he would never get above Double-A ball as a position player with his skills, Wakefield began developing the knuckleball that made him so well-known, at the time stating, “I just want to be able to say I tried everything I could to make it.”
The following season, Wakefield made his professional pitching debut while playing for the Single-A Salem Buccaneers. His immediate success led to a full conversion to pitcher in 1990, and he led the Carolina League in starts and innings pitched. Tim Wakefield advanced to Double-A in 1991, leading all Pirates minor leaguers in wins, innings pitched, and complete games when he went 15–8 with a 2.90 earned run average (ERA).
He made his major league debut on July 31, 1992, for the Pirates against the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched a complete game and allowed only one run on five hits while striking out 10 batters. He finished his rookie season with an 8–1 record and a 2.15 ERA in 13 starts. He also helped the Pirates reach the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Atlanta Braves, where he won two games and posted a 1.38 ERA.
However, Wakefield struggled in his sophomore season in 1993, going 6–11 with a 5.61 ERA in 24 games (20 starts). He was demoted to Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in August and did not return to the majors that year. He spent most of the 1994 season in Buffalo as well, going 5–15 with a 5.84 ERA in 28 games (27 starts). He was released by the Pirates on April 20, 1995.
Boston Red Sox
Tim signed with the Boston Red Sox on April 26, 1995, as a minor league free agent. He was assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox, where he went 2–1 with a 2.41 ERA in four starts before being called up to Boston on May 27.
He made an immediate impact for the Red Sox, winning his first six decisions and posting a 1.65 ERA in his first nine starts. He finished his first season with Boston with a 16–8 record and a 2.95 ERA in 27 starts. Tim Wakefield also led the American League (AL) in complete games (10) and shutouts (3). He helped the Red Sox win the AL East division title and reach the AL Division Series (ALDS) against the Cleveland Indians, where he lost his only start.
Wakefield became a fixture in the Red Sox rotation for the next several years, winning at least 10 games in six of his next seven seasons from 1996 to 2002. He also served as a closer for part of the 1999 season, earning 15 of his career-high 22 saves that year.
He was part of some memorable moments in Red Sox history during this period, such as pitching seven shutout innings against Roger Clemens and the New York Yankees in the 1999 ALCS, and throwing a complete game against the Anaheim Angels in the 2002 ALDS.
However, he also experienced some heartbreaks, such as giving up a walk-off home run to Aaron Boone of the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, which ended the Red Sox season and extended their World Series drought.
Tim bounced back from that disappointment in 2004, when he played a key role in the Red Sox historic comeback from a 3–0 deficit against the Yankees in the ALCS. He sacrificed his Game 4 start to pitch in relief in a Game 3 blowout, saving the bullpen for the rest of the series. He then worked three innings of shutout relief to win Game 5, which ended in the 14th inning on David Ortiz’s walk-off single. The Red Sox went on to beat the Yankees in seven games, and then swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series to end their 86-year championship drought.
Wakefield won his second World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2007, when they swept the Colorado Rockies in four games. He also made his first and only All-Star appearance in 2009, when he was selected by his manager Terry Francona as a reward for his longevity and consistency. He became the oldest first-time All-Star in MLB history at age 42.
Tim Wakefield reached a milestone on September 13, 2011, when he won his 200th career game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. He received a standing ovation from the crowd and was congratulated by his teammates and former Red Sox players. He finished his final season with a 7–8 record and a 5.12 ERA in 33 games (23 starts).
He announced his retirement on February 17, 2012, at a press conference at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida. He said he was grateful for his career and proud to be a part of the Red Sox organization. He also thanked his family, teammates, coaches, fans, and media for their support.
He ranks third in career wins (186), second in games pitched (590), first in innings pitched (3,006), and second in strikeouts (2,046) among Red Sox pitchers. Tim also holds the MLB record for most career starts without a no-hitter (430). He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2016.
Post-playing Career
After retiring as a player, Wakefield stayed active with the Red Sox organization. He became honorary chairman of the Red Sox Foundation, the team’s official charity that supports various causes such as health care, education, recreation, and social service programs for children and families across New England.
He also started working with NESN as an analyst in 2012, providing pregame and postgame coverage of Red Sox games. He also hosted a weekly show called The Ultimate Red Sox Show with Tim Wakefield, which featured interviews with current and former players, coaches, and celebrities.
He also helped coach Steven Wright, a knuckleballer who played for the Red Sox from 2013 to 2019. He mentored Wright on how to throw and control the knuckleball, as well as how to deal with the mental and physical challenges of being a knuckleball pitcher. Throughout his successful professional life, he managed to gather a whopping Net Worth of $25 million US Dollars, as of 2023.
Social Media Platform
Instagram – @timwakefield49
Wikipedia – @Tim_Wakefield
Twitter – @TimWakefield49
Facebook – Not Available
Homepage – @wikicelebs.com
Personal Life and Death
Tim Wakefield married Stacy Stover on November 9, 2002. They met in 2000 and began dating the next year. They have two children, a son named Trevor born in 2004 and a daughter named Brianna born in 2005.
Wakefield was diagnosed with brain cancer in September 2023, according to his former teammate Curt Schilling, who revealed the news on his podcast without Wakefield’s consent. Wakefield had undergone surgery to fight the aggressive form of cancer he was dealing with.
He died on October 1, 2023, at his home in Satellite Beach, Florida. He was surrounded by his family and friends. He was 57 years old.
His death was announced by the Red Sox in a statement that praised him as an outstanding athlete and an extraordinary human being who touched countless lives with his kindness and generosity. The statement also said that Wakefield’s legacy extended beyond the record books to his humanitarian work and his involvement with the Red Sox community.
Tim was mourned by his former teammates, coaches, opponents, fans, media members, and baseball figures who expressed their condolences and shared their memories of him on social media and other platforms.
He is survived by his wife Stacy, son Trevor, daughter Brianna, parents Steve and Judy Wakefield, brothers Mike and Tony Wakefield, and other relatives and friends.
Random Facts
- Wakefield wore number 49 throughout his career with both the Pirates and the Red Sox.
- He was one of only two active knuckleball pitchers in MLB at the time of his retirement. The other was R.A. Dickey, who played for the New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays.
- He was the oldest player in MLB when he retired at age 45. He was also the last active player who played for the Pirates in their last winning season in 1992.
- Wakefield won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2010, which is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and the individual’s contribution to his team.
- Tim Wakefield wrote a book titled Knuckler: My Life with Baseball’s Most Confounding Pitch, which was published in 2012. The book was co-authored by Tony Massarotti and featured a foreword by Phil Niekro, another knuckleball pitcher and Hall of Famer.
- Wakefield appeared in several movies and TV shows, such as Fever Pitch, The Game Plan, Knuckleball!, and The Simpsons.
Summary
Tim Wakefield was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in MLB, mostly for the Boston Red Sox. He was known for his signature knuckleball pitch that baffled hitters and made him one of the most durable and versatile pitchers in the game. He won two World Series championships with the Red Sox and was an All-Star and a Roberto Clemente Award winner. He was also a philanthropist and a broadcaster who remained active in the Red Sox community after his retirement. He died of brain cancer at the age of 57 on October 1, 2023.
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