'What even is that pitch?' An oral history of Kerr...
Key takeaways
- Editor's note: This story originally ran on May 6, 2018 for the 20th anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game.
- That didn t stop 20-year-old Kerry Wood from a magical performance.
- Kerry Wood: I remember specifically having low energy that day.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Editor's note: This story originally ran on May 6, 2018 for the 20th anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game. It was an otherwise nondescript day. In fact, it was a forgettable one. Overcast and rainy, the Cubs were hosting the Houston Astros in an early May matinee. School was still in session, so just 15,758 fans were in attendance. How many stayed to see history is unknown, as the rain picked up throughout the day.
That didn t stop 20-year-old Kerry Wood from a magical performance. He produced the highest game score in baseball history, posting a pitching line of 9 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 20 K's. He did it with a dynamic fastball and a slurve, which the Astros would call unhittable. Here are the memories of some of those involved, including Wood. Current Cubs pitchers Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks add their two cents as well after watching the highlights in arguably the greatest-pitched game in Wrigley Field history. It was May 6, 1998 -- 20 years ago.
Kerry Wood: I remember specifically having low energy that day. I don t know why. Maybe it was a day game or the overcast skies. I was dragging at the ballpark. It wasn t jumping right away, the way I wanted. I felt sluggish.