Thus, it was entirely fitting that the pair was inducted into the Cubs Hall of Fame together this weekend.
It was a poignant weekend for the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
On Friday, they saw the return of former first baseman Anthony Rizzo for the first time since he was traded to the New York Yankees in 2021. As anticipated, the 2016 World Series hero was met with a rousing standing ovation.
On Sunday, the Cubs honored two more of their past stars. The team held a special pregame ceremony to induct Aramis Ramirez and Kerry Wood into the franchise’s Hall of Fame.
The event featured a touching tribute video narrated by the players’ sons, Justin Wood and Aramis Ramirez Jr., who highlighted their fathers’ remarkable contributions both on and off the field.
Although neither player has been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, both have impressive credentials and were key figures for the Chicago Cubs during the late 1990s and 2000s.
Wood, who spent 12 of his 14 seasons with the Cubs, was a dominant yet often-injured pitcher. In his rookie season of 1998, he matched Roger Clemens’ MLB record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game, achieving 20 strikeouts in a one-hit shutout against the Houston Astros in just his fifth career start.
That year, Wood led the Major Leagues in strikeout rate (12.6 K/9) and earned NL Rookie of the Year honors. He was also a two-time All-Star with Chicago in 2003 and 2008, leading the league in strikeouts (266) in the former year.
Ramirez, who started his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, spent nine of his 18 seasons with the Cubs, including seven alongside Wood. Like Wood, he made two All-Star appearances for Chicago (2005 and 2008).
A power-hitting third baseman, Ramirez was the Cubs’ most significant player at the position since Ron Santo. During his time with the team, he posted a .294/.356/.531 batting line with 239 home runs, 256 doubles, and 806 RBI.
Although neither player got to experience a World Series victory, they were instrumental in leading the Cubs to multiple playoff appearances after a long period of mediocrity. Their contributions provided Chicago fans with many memorable moments and reasons to celebrate.
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