Dick Woodson
Encyclopedia
Richard Lee Woodson was a right-handed Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Minnesota Twins
(1969-70 and 1972-74) and the New York Yankees
(1974). Before the 1965 baseball season
, Woodson was signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent
to play in their Minor League Baseball
organization. Woodson was listed as 6' 5" in height, and 207 lb. in weight. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball and played four seasons in Minor League Baseball.
at Municipal Stadium
, with 17,688 people attending the game. The game reached extra innings
. Woodson was called to replace Joe Grzenda
pitching
and batting 9th in the top of the twelfth inning
. He finished the game, allowing only one hit
, as the Twins lost to the Royals, 4-3.
Woodson pitched in the League Championship Series
in each of his first two Major League seasons, 1969 and 1970. He went 7-5 in 1969 as both a starting
and a relief pitcher
. Returning as a full-time starter in 1972, he went 14-14. On February 11, 1974, Dick Woodson became the first player to invoke the new free agency clause
, him seeking $29,000, and the Twins offering $23,000. On May 4, 1974, Woodson was traded by the Minnesota Twins to the New York Yankees for Mike Pazik
, along with some cash. Woodson played his final game on July 8, 1974 with the Yankees.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1969-70 and 1972-74) and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1974). Before the 1965 baseball season
1965 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Minnesota Twins ; Sandy Koufax, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Metropolitan Stadium: National League, 6-5; Juan Marichal, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
, Woodson was signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
to play in their Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
organization. Woodson was listed as 6' 5" in height, and 207 lb. in weight. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball and played four seasons in Minor League Baseball.
Major League career
Dick Woodson made his major league debut on April 8, 1969 at age 24 with the Minnesota Twins. On that day, the Minnesota Twins were playing against the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
at Municipal Stadium
Municipal Stadium (Kansas City)
Kansas City Municipal Stadium was a baseball and football stadium that formerly stood in Kansas City, Missouri. It hosted the minor league Kansas City Blues of the American Association from 1923 to 1954 and the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues during the same period...
, with 17,688 people attending the game. The game reached extra innings
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
. Woodson was called to replace Joe Grzenda
Joe Grzenda
Joseph Charles Grzenda is a retired Major League baseball pitcher. He pitched for six different teams in eight seasons during a career that spanned from 1961 to 1972....
pitching
Pitch (baseball)
In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
and batting 9th in the top of the twelfth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
. He finished the game, allowing only one hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, as the Twins lost to the Royals, 4-3.
Woodson pitched in the League Championship Series
League Championship Series
The League Championship Series is the official name for a round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969...
in each of his first two Major League seasons, 1969 and 1970. He went 7-5 in 1969 as both a starting
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
and a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. Returning as a full-time starter in 1972, he went 14-14. On February 11, 1974, Dick Woodson became the first player to invoke the new free agency clause
Reserve clause
The reserve clause is a term formerly employed in North American professional sports contracts. The reserve clause, contained in all standard player contracts, stated that, upon the contract's expiration the rights to the player were to be retained by the team to which he had been signed...
, him seeking $29,000, and the Twins offering $23,000. On May 4, 1974, Woodson was traded by the Minnesota Twins to the New York Yankees for Mike Pazik
Mike Pazik
Michael Joseph Pazik is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins....
, along with some cash. Woodson played his final game on July 8, 1974 with the Yankees.