Spades Wood

Charles Asher Wood

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 150 lb.
• School Wofford College
• Debut August 16, 1930
• Final Game September 21, 1931
• Born January 13, 1909 in Spartanburg, SC USA
• Died May 18, 1986 in Wichita, KS USA

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Biographical Information

Charles "Spades" Wood pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1930 and 1931 at the ages of 21 and 22. In all, he hurled 122 innings, and won 6 of 15 decisions.

Wood made a good impression early by pitching complete game shutouts in his second and third appearances in the big leagues. On August 23, 1930, he won 5-0 over the Boston Braves and a week later on August 30th, he also won 5-0, over the Cincinnati Reds.

Spades was born in Spartanburg, SC and attended college at Wofford College, located in Spartanburg. After one year there, he started in the minors in the Piedmont League and then in 1930 moved up to throw for the Wichita Aviators, posting a record of 22-3. He came up to the majors in August of 1930, and stayed there in 1931. In 1932-1934 he was back in the minors, mostly with the Tulsa Oilers.

Sports Illustrated remembered him in a 2019 article, saying that he had a great "old timey name". [1]

He is the only major leaguer (through 2020) remembered with the first name "Spades", although before him came a player named Bob Spade.