Probably the most iconic Tim Wakefield moment also happens to be one that made all of Red Sox Nation collectively say the first curse word that came into their minds.
Before fans could even settle in for the bottom of the 11th inning of game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, Wakefield was sulking off the mound after Aaron Boone swung on the first pitch he saw and hit a walk-off home run to send the Yankees to the World Series, which, thankfully, the evil empire lost.
If you do some research into the career of Wakefield, him even being on that Red Sox roster was as improbable as him becoming a two-time World Series winner in 2004 and 2007.
Wakefield, who died Sunday at age 57, grew up the son of two working parents in Florida.
He was an infielder in college and drafted into the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league system, where he struggled as a hitter, putting him on the verge of being out of baseball altogether.
His saving grace came when his manager saw Wakefield messing around with a pitch his father taught him, the knuckleball, while playing catch with his teammates.
From there, he took up pitching in the minors before he was called up to the Pirates in 1992 where he would end up pitching in the NLCS that same season.
Wakefield bounced between the majors and minors as his performances became as unpredictable as his knuckleball.
He would join the Red Sox in 1995 on a minor league contract and, that same season, be called up to join the team he would become a cornerstone of for the next 17 seasons.
Over the course of his time in Boston, Wakefield bounced between the starting rotation and various roles in the bullpen, even spending time as a starter and capturing team records for most starts as a pitcher and most innings pitched.
He will not get a spot in Cooperstown either, having only been an All-Star once (2009) while also being top-10 in all-time hit batters.
In Red Sox history books, Wakefield’s win total lags behind only Roger Clemens and Cy Young. His strikeout total sits in second place behind Clemens, and ahead of Pedro Martinez.
However, Wakefield is the all-time leader for less glamorous Red Sox records, including most losses, bases on balls, earned runs, home runs allowed, and hits allowed.
With this resume, it is up in the air if Wakefield will have his number, 49, retired at Fenway.
However, for Red Sox Nation, he will forever be ingrained in our memories.
Wakefield retired in 2011 when I was 11 years old.
I still remember Wakefield playing in his 40s, looking more like someone’s neighbor than a ballplayer with his slim frame and stiff delivery. I also remember that he needed a personal catcher, which would unfortunately leave my favorite player, Jason Varitek, out of the lineup.
Wakefield was everything a Boston athlete should be.
He was a team player on and off the field, winning the 2010 Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team” according to the MLB.
Wakefield was even active in New Englanders’ lives long after his career, working in the broadcast booth for NESN and serving as honorary chairman of the Red Sox Foundation.
Wakefield showed that reinvention is possible.
He showed that when you’re doing what you love, it can lead to the lowest of lows on the biggest stage. Just as quickly, however, it can lead to the highest of highs.