Even in high school, a Kerry Wood appearance was eagerly anticipated. And his minor league time made fans salivate. Wood spent three years playing in the Minor Leagues, with 1996 being his best season, posting a 10-2 record for the Daytona Cubs. He also had a brief stint with the Iowa Cubs.

As a Chicago Cubs rookie, Wood won the 1998 Rookie of the Year award. He was named to the All-Star Team in 2003 while leading the National League in strikeouts, and, after a series of tough injuries, Wood made it back to the All-Star team in 2008. On his way back from injury, Wood spent the 2007 season serving as a relief pitcher and closer for the Cubs.

Kerry Wood Speaker

While it might be enjoyable to hear Wood discuss baseball, a great Kerry Wood speaker topic could be his experiences recovering from serious injury. After his stellar 2003 campaign, when everyone had predicated that he’d be the next great pitcher, injuries took their toll, and most pundits and fans thought he’d never return to form. As a result, his All-Star 2008 campaign makes for an inspiring Kerry Wood speaker appearance.

Kerry Wood Appearance

Off the field, there was a Kerry Wood appearance together with many of his Cubs teammates on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the 2004 baseball season preview issue.

Kerry Wood Endorsement

Want to know just how good a pitcher Wood is? For the best Kerry Wood endorsement, look no further than his strikeout records. Wood is the fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 1,000 strikeout both in terms of appearances and in innings pitched. He is also the record holder for strikeouts in a 9-inning game.