Chicago Cubs: Why Kerry Wood’s 20K game stands out

Chicago Cubs: It was a tough day for anyone to pitch in weather-wise.

How many historic pitching performances do we see happen in the pouring rain? It does not happen often, but it happened for Kerry Wood. It is one thing for a 20-year old pitcher to dominate the most feared lineup in the National League, it’s another to do it on a muddy mound with rain pouring down.

The game began under very gloomy skies with the threat of rain in the forecast. It was in the middle innings when the rain started to fall. People in the stands either went under the upper deck or put on plastic ponchos to stay dry as Wood kept firing away. By the seventh inning, much of the field was pretty soaked.

It got to a point where some feared the game would either be delayed or called. Thunder began to rumble in the skies when Moises Alou was facing Wood in the top of the seventh. Even if there were just a delay, Wood would have been replaced when play resumed. No delays were called, and the rain held off from being too bad to play in. Regardless it was still impressive for the young kid to keep his command on a wet mound.

It is hard to believe it has been more than two decades since this historic game took place. There is a whole new generation of adult Cubs fans who were either not born or too young to remember the game. Luckily today, there are plenty of ways to re-watch the game.