The only Belmont High School graduate to play Major League Baseball died Saturday.
Wilbur Wood, a member of the Belmont High School Class of 1960, starred in three sports for the Marauders before a 17-year MLB pitching career. The three-time All-Star was 84.
“He was just a good kid,” said Angelo Firenze, who moved to Belmont in fifth grade and became friendly with Wood, who rode his bike to school with Firenze sitting on the crossbars. “He was always very nice, cordial and friendly.”
Born in Cambridge, Wood thrived as a Marauders pitcher, the football team’s quarterback, and as a defender with the ice hockey program. He competed with his younger brother, Jimmy, in all three sports. With Wood under center, the football team captured a Middlesex League title. As a junior, Wood struck out 18 Pittsfield batters in the state final as the baseball team won the state title.
George Viglirolo, another high school classmate, described Wood as low-key with a dry sense of humor and the most popular kid in school Viglirolo remembers referring to him as “the man with the golden arm” like the 1955 film starring Frank Sinatra.
When they spoke a few months ago, Viglirolo reminded his friend, whom he called “Woody,” about his premonition. Wood called Viglorilo “scholar” and “professor.”
“He threw knuckleballs, but he was also good at verbal knuckleballs, because you never knew what was coming,” Viglirolo said. “I have really good memories for all the reasons that I’m sure others remember him, a fine athlete and terrific human being.”
George’s older brother, Skip, who died in June at 95, was one of Wood’s mentors. They spent many hours conducting batting practice as kids and golfing well into retirement.
“Skip always referred to Wilbur as ‘my very best friend,'” Geoege Viglirolo said, “and he had thousands of friends.”
Bobby Viglirolo, the youngest of five brothers — they also had three sisters — emulated Wood’s workouts with Skip.
A fastball-curveball pitcher in high school, Wood went 24-2 with four no-hitters for the Marauders, according to the Society for American Baseball Research.
As a senior, Wood and his catcher, Doug Linehan, were featured in The Boston Globe for their on-field camaraderie and off-field competition as rival lawn mowers. Linehan, who died in 2023, played in the New York Mets minor league system.
Most of Wood’s lawn mowing work came near School Street.
“You can’t spend the rest of the time doing nothing,” Wood told Neil Singelais at the time. “It keeps me in shape. I love to play the other sports, too.”
But baseball was his best.
After graduating, Wood signed with the Red Sox for $25,000. He played minor league baseball in Waterloo, Iowa and Raleigh and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before making his major league debut on June 30, 1961. Wood pitched parts of three seasons for his hometown team, spending some time in the minors in Johnstown and York, Pennsylvania and Seattle, Washington.
Two mediocre seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and their minor league affiliate in Columbus, Ohio followed.
A trade to the Chicago White Sox near the end of 1966 jump-started the left-handed knuckleballer’s career. Wood, perhaps the best lefty to throw the pitch, added it to his arsenal shortly after joining the White Sox. Hall of Fame pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm taught Wood how to use the pitch effectively.
“He has the greatest psychological makeup I’ve ever seen,” his White Sox pitching coach, Johnny Sain told Boston Globe baseball scribe Peter Gammons. “Nothing ever bothers him; he’s the same, win or lose. And throwing that pitch requires the nature of a master surgeon.”
Wood began his White Sox career as a relief pitcher, leading baseball in appearances from 1968 through 1970. He joined the starting rotation in 1971 and posted a 22-13 record with a 1.91 ERA across 334 innings. An All-Star three out of four years, Wood racked up more than 320 innings during his first four seasons as a full-time starter.
“Everybody in our class was always very proud of him and happy for his career,” Firenze said.
No pitcher has surpassed the 320-inning mark since fellow knuckleballer Phil Niekro in 1978, Wood’s final season in MLB. His last two-plus seasons came after a line drive to the knee that ended his 1976 season. Wood finished his career with 164 wins and a 3.24 ERA. He appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot but never earned more than 7% of the votes. Inductees need 75% of the vote to be inducted into the hall.
After retirement, Wood worked as a pharmaceutical representative and lived in Bedford. He also owned Meister’s Seafood in Belmont Center for a bit, where Quebrada Baking Company is today.
Wood is survived by his wife, Janet Wood, and three children from a prior marriage: Wendy Yang, Derron Wood, and Christen Dolloff, according to The New York Times.
