Fifteen years ago today I got home from classes at noon and sat down to eat lunch in my apartment. I began listening to the Cubs game on the radio. Kerry Wood was pitching. About midway through the game, I had to leave for work...at 45 minute drive. I listened to every pitch. I pulled into the parking lot at work just as the 9th inning was about to begin. I sat in my car listening to the game completely unconcerned about being late for work.
The half inning took very little time to complete with Wood dominating a very good Astros lineup.
My heart was racing as Pat Hughes made the call on that final pitch to Derek Bell. It was over. I ran inside, saw the two other Cubs fans that I had worked with on the factory floor and told them that he did it. I was shaking with excitement.
For many Cubs fans, this was almost like the moon landing...you'll never forget what you were doing when it happened.
I got to see Kerry Wood pitch at Wrigley a few weeks later, still in the infant stages of that great and memorable Cubs season. The ballpark was packed that afternoon. The legend of Kerry Wood had begun a few weeks earlier and I wanted to see him first hand.
Happy 15 year anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20 strikeout game, perhaps the most dominating pitching performance in Major League history.
