Jake Wood (baseball)
Jake Wood | |
---|---|
Second baseman | |
Born: Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. | June 22, 1937|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 11, 1961, for the Detroit Tigers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 11, 1967, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .250 |
Home runs | 35 |
Runs batted in | 168 |
Teams | |
Jacob Wood Jr. (born June 22, 1937) is an American former
He was born in
Wood was signed as an amateur free agent by the Tigers in early 1957. He attended Detroit's minor league camp in Lakeland, Florida, worked his way up through the Tigers' system, and batted more than .300 with five teams in the minors. Jake made his major league debut at age 23 on the Tigers' season-opener on April 11, 1961, starting at second base and batting leadoff in a 9–5 home loss to the
Wood was the first African-American starter developed by Detroit's organization, but when right-handed pitcher Jim Proctor debuted for Detroit on September 14, 1959, he became the first black player developed by the Tigers' system.[4]
Quiet, agile, and talented, Wood remained the Tigers' starting second baseman from 1961 to 1963. He was third in the American League in stolen bases in 1961 (30), 1962 (24), and 1963 (18). During his rookie season in 1961, Wood was also among the American League leaders in runs (96), hits (171), and games (162). He led the AL in triples in 1961 with 14 and in strikeouts with 141—at the time, the record for most strikeouts in a season.[5]
Wood injured a finger late July 1963, and he missed the rest of the season. Starting in 1964, after Detroit acquired veteran second baseman Jerry Lumpe, Wood was a
Jake ended his major league career with a .250 batting average with 35 home runs, 168 runs batted in and 70 stolen bases.[7]
His brother, Richard Wood, played professional football from 1975 to 1984 with the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[8]
Jake lives in
Wood is a member of the Union County, New Jersey Baseball Hall of Fame.[11]
See also
References
- ^ "Jake Wood Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Jake Wood BB". www.njsportsheroes.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers Box Score, April 11, 1961". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Nice article about Willie Horton and Jake Wood". MotownSports.com Message Board. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Jake Wood Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds Box Score, August 11, 1967". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Jake Wood Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Richard Wood Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Nice article about Willie Horton and Jake Wood". MotownSports.com Message Board. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Jake Wood BB". www.njsportsheroes.com. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
- ^ "Union County Baseball Association Celebrates 75th Anniversary | County of Union, New Jersey". Archived from the original on 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- "Wood's path to big leagues a first for Tigers" from MLB.com
- "Wood was the first African-American star for the Tigers" from Detroit Athletic
- "Jake Wood, Tigers Pioneer, Remembered" from the Michigan Chronicle
- "Remembering Former Detroit Tiger Jake Wood" from Hour Detroit
- "Jake Wood, trailblazing former Detroit Tigers star, to appear at West Michigan Whitecaps game" from MLive.com
- "Detroit Tigers: Celebrating African-American Players on MLK Day" from Fansided
- Interview with Jake Wood by WEBN-TV
- Interview with Jake Wood from the Tigers History Podcast