On a lively Saturday at Wrigley Field, a legendary former pitcher of the Cubs showcased that his skillset still includes an unexpected surprise.
Kerry Wood, who made headlines as a Cubs rookie by striking out a remarkable 20 Astros players on May 6, 1998, at this very stadium, delivered yet another unforgettable spectacle to his hometown fans.
The 49-year-old Wood suited up with the Savannah Bananas for their match at Wrigley Field and executed a pitch that will be talked about for years.
Facing loaded bases with two outs in the sixth inning, Wood prepared himself, lifting his leg and appearing to go through his usual windup.
Then came the unexpected twist — the baseball wasn’t in his hand as expected. Instead, Wood had deftly flipped it behind his back towards home plate, showcasing his incredible sleight of hand.
The smooth-looking trick pitch floated over the plate for a strike as the stunned batter stood frozen for what turned out to be a strike right down the middle.
Though Wood did not quite meet the hype and early expectations after his impressive first big-league season in which he won the Rookie of the Year award, he still had a good 14-year career from 1998-2012, primarily with the Cubs.
The one-time flame-throwing right-hander also had short stints with Cleveland and the Yankees.
He posted an 86-75 record for his career with a 3.67 ERA and 1,582 strikeouts.
Former Cubs World Series winner David Ross — who played 15 MLB seasons, including two with the Cubs — also suited up for the Bananas on Saturday night.
Ross, a catcher, won two World Series rings, one in 2013 with the Red Sox to go along with the Cubs title in 2016 which snapped a 108-year drought for the one-time woebegone franchise.