Timothy Stephen Wakefield

Timothy Stephen Wakefield was born in Melbourne, Florida. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a first baseman in 1988, his struggling batting prompted a coach to suggest he switch to pitching and develop a knuckleball. The gamble worked: Wakefield debuted in 1992, going 8-1 and winning the NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year award from The Sporting News.

Released by Pittsburgh in 1995, Wakefield was signed by the Boston Red Sox, beginning a legendary 17-season tenure at Fenway Park. His fluttering, unpredictable 65-mph knuckleball baffled hitters, enabled him to pitch on short rest, and made him third in Red Sox history with 186 wins. In 2004, after surrendering Aaron Boone's walk-off home run in the 2003 ALCS, Wakefield bravely volunteered to eat innings in Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS, conserving the bullpen for the historic four-game comeback that broke the 86-year "Curse of the Bambino." Wakefield won another World Series in 2007, won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2010 for charitable work, and was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.