Featured Photo Above:
“Fickle Fate at Forbes” by Graig Kreindler
Baseball History Comes Alive Now Ranked As a Top Five Website by Feedspot Among All Baseball History Websites and Blogs!
(Check out Feedspot's list of the Top 35 Baseball History websites and blogs)
Guest Submissions from Our Readers Always Welcome! Click for details
Visit the Baseball History Comes Alive Home Page
Subscribe to Baseball History Comes Alive
Free Bonus for Subscribing:
Gary’s Handy Dandy World Series Reference Guide
Smoky Joe Wood Photo Gallery
Deadball Era Match-up For the Ages:
“Smoky” Joe Wood vs. Walter “Big Train” Johnson!
“Can I throw harder than Joe Wood? Listen, my friend, there’s no man alive can throw harder than Smoky Joe Wood!”- Walter Johnson
On September 6, 1912, one hundred thirteen years ago yesterday, Joe Wood faced Walter Johnson in a memorable pitching duel at Fenway Park. Matched pitch-for-pitch, Wood eventually bested Johnson 1-0 for a two-hit complete game shutout, his 30th win of the year. It was also his 14th consecutive victory, as he closed in on Johnson’s American League record of 16 straight games.
A standing-room-only crowd of 29,000 fans were on hand to see the storied match up, which the papers at the time hyped like a heavyweight prize fight. The only run – cheap one – scored in the sixth when Tris Speaker hit a ground-rule double into the roped off overflow outfield crowd, which should have been an easy fly out. Duffy Lewis followed with a legit double that scored Speaker breaking the scoreless tie for the game’s only tally.
The statement above by Walter Johnson may be a fabrication — it’s doubtful anybody could throw harder than Johnson — but it gives us a pretty good insight as to how Smoky Joe’s contemporaries viewed his blazing fastball.
Smoky Joe Wood’s Career
Howard Ellsworth “Smoky Joe” Wood had an eleven-year major league career, as a pitcher from 1908-1915 with the Red Sox; and then as an outfielder from 1917-1922 with the Indians. As an 19-year-old rookie, Joe Wood joined the Red Sox in 1908, and, after three mediocre seasons, had his breakout year in 1911, winning 23 games with a 2.02 ERA, a no-hitter, and a 15-strikeout game. Speaking of his pitching style, Wood was quoted in The Glory of Their Times as saying, “I threw so hard I thought my arm would fly right off my body.”
Smoky Joe Wood’s Great 1912 Season
Wood had a spectacular year in 1912, referenced above. He posted a 34-5 record, pitching a remarkable 344 innings, with a 1.91 ERA, and 258 strikeouts. He led the league in winning percentage (.872), shutouts (10), and complete games (35), becoming one of only 13 pitchers to win 30 or more games in a season since 1900. His 34 wins is the sixth-highest total in baseball history. He also tied Walter Johnson’s record for consecutive victories that year with 16.
In the 1912 World Series, Wood won three games against one loss, including a dramatic extra inning win in the decisive Game Eight—a game made famous by the Fred Snodgrass “$30,000 Muff.” He also struck out 11 batters in one game, becoming the first pitcher to record double-digit strikeouts in the Fall Classic.
Injury Ends Joe Wood’s Pitching Career
The following year, 1913, Wood slipped on some wet grass fielding a bunt, breaking his thumb. He pitched in pain for the following three seasons, and although he still posted a winning record, he was never quite the same. He sat out the 1916 season and most of the 1917 season. Late in 1917, he was sold to the Indians, rejoining former teammate and friend, Tris Speaker, and started his second career as an outfielder. It was a successful transition. Wood finished in the top-10 in the American League in RBIs twice (1918 and 1922); and in 1918 he also finished in the top-10 in home runs, doubles, batting average and total bases. He appeared in four games in the 1920 World Series.
Wood finished his major league career after the 1922 season with a pitching record of 117–57 (.672), 2.03 ERA, and 989 strikeouts. His lifetime batting average was a respectable .283 with 23 home runs, and 325 RBIs. He was a member of three World Series championship teams (1912, 1915, and 1920).
After his career ended, he accepted an offer to coach the Yale University baseball team where he remained for the next 20 years, compiling a record of 283–228–1. While at Yale, he coached his son Joe, who pitched briefly for the 1944 Red Sox. Smoky Joe Wood passed away on July 27, 1985, aged 95
Not all players are capable of making a transition from one position to another at the major league level. The list is very short. So let’s take a moment to remember Smoky Joe Wood, one of a handful of players who did it successfully.
Gary Livacari
Information: Excerpts edited from Joe Wood Wikipedia page; stats from Baseball Reference
Subscribe to Baseball History Comes Alive. FREE BONUS for subscribing: Gary’s Handy Dandy World Series Reference Guide. https://wp.me/P7a04E-2he
Nice article about Smokey Joe. Funny how 16 straight has been reached more than once but the streak never reaches 17.
My question is about the colorized photo of Maz’s homer: Who is the Yankee pitcher warming up along the left field line? How history might have changed had he been pitching.
As a 12-year-old Yankee fan, Mickey wasn’t the only one crying after that game. I’ve never forgiven Maz. 🙂
One last thing: does anyone else miss the relief pitchers warming up along the foul lines, like I saw so many times at Wrigley Field and older parks. There was a certain old-fashioned charm to it.