Every person in Wrigley Field stood and clapped their hands as Kerry Wood left the field for the final time. Last Friday, “Kid K” ended his MLB career by striking out White Sox player Dayan Viciedo, and then hugging his son, Justin, who ran onto the field to greet him.
Wood made his fame in 1998 when he pitched 20 strikes outs against the Houston Astros and was awarded the National League Rookie of the Year that season. After about 1,500 more strikeouts the two time All-Star selection (2003, 2008) spent 10 of his 14 year career with the Chicago Cubs.
“I love him because he’s a true Chicagoan, and a family man with that,” says die-hard Cub fan Kennith Tursky. Wood, his wife and three children live in the Old Town neighborhood on the North side of Chicago. “Kid K” turned down many offers from other teams for more money in 2010, to keep his family in Chicago and to continue and end his career with the Chicago Cubs.
