Tim Wakefield is best known as a knuckleballing pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He learned the pitch from his father when he was growing up in Florida, and he used it during his professional baseball career to help the Red Sox win the World Series. In 2016, he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Now comes the sad news that Wakefield has died. He was only 57 years old. In a statement released by the Red Sox, chairman Tom Werner said, “It’s one thing to be an outstanding athlete; it’s another to be an extraordinary human being. Tim was both.” He added, “I know the world was made better because he was in it.”
The Red Sox also announced the sad news on X (formerly Twitter), sharing, “Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield.” The team continued by praising Wakefield for his many admirable qualities. “Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation.”
Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield.Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation.
The statements from the Red Sox do not include a cause of death. Instead, they ask for “privacy” and only mention that there was an “illness.” However, during a podcast last week, Wakefield’s former teammate, Curt Schilling, let it slip that Wakefield had brain cancer. This has not been confirmed as an official cause of death.
While Wakefield is best known for playing for the Red Sox, he played for the Pittsburg Pirates earlier in his career. Upon hearing the news of his death, the Pirates shared, “He was a great man who will be dearly missed.”
Former teammate David Ortiz also shared a tribute to Wakefield. On Instagram, he posted a picture of the two of them and captioned the post, “I can’t describe what you mean to me and my family, my heart is broken right now because l will never be able to replace a brother and a friend like you….Rest and peace my brother.”
Wakefield is survived by his wife, Stacey, and his children, Trevor and Brianna. Stacey is also fighting cancer.
