Historical society honors baseball legend from days of yore

SHOHOLA, PA — The Pike County Historical Society will celebrate a day of family fun in honor of Joe Wood on Saturday, October 25 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Black Walnut Inn.

Shohola native Wood played for the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians in the early 1900s. He was known for his blazing fastball, which is where the nickname “Smoky” comes into play. In 1912, Wood enjoyed one of the finest seasons a pitcher has ever known: 34-5, an ERA of 1.91 and 10 shutouts. He also won an American League record 16 consecutive regular season decisions. His pitching career was cut short by injury, but his love of the game kept him in it. He played the outfield during the last years of his career, and was a solid hitter. Only Babe Ruth shares the same honor as Joe, having played professional ball as both a pitcher and in another position.

The Black Walnut is located on Schocopee Road off Rte. 6 just outside of Milford. At the country setting there will be pony rides, face painting, pumpkin picking and tye-dying, among other activities.

For more information visit pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org or call 570/296-8126.