Most of the time, the cards I send out are from the 1987 Topps set (sometimes with cards from other sets included as well) as I work on “Project87.” I’ve always thought this was kind of a cool looking card though, so when I saw that Wilbur Wood signed through the mail, I thought I’d send it out.
In my opinion, ’78 Topps cards generally look good signed, due to the simple design and large photo. This one certainly turned out to be no exception! The blue autograph looks great, and unlike many collectors (since I have no intention of ever selling them), I actually prefer personalized autographs.
Very unique as a lefthanded knuckleballer, Wood was virtually rubber-armed. The first ten years of his career (1961-1970), he pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen, averaging 124 IP with a 2.49 ERA over the last four of those years. In 1968 he pitched In a (since eclipsed) league record 88 games, registering 1.89 ERA over 159 innings pitched.
He then moved to the White Sox rotation in 1971, and over the next five years, he averaged over 336 innings pitched per season, topping out at 376.2 innings pitched in 1972, when he started 49 games. The following year, he started 48 games and tallied 359.1 innings pitched. On one occasion that season, he pitched the final four innings in the resumption of a suspended game, followed by a four-hit shutout in the scheduled game, to pick up two wins in one night. On another occasion that season, he started both games of a doubleheader, becoming the last pitcher to accomplish the feat.
Regardless of all that, I think we can all agree to this much: MLB needs more players wearing red windbreaker shirts underneath their collared jerseys.
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