Vow: Jim Woods, 'The Possum'

[The Professor]

Alright, a Two-for-Thursday in the VoW franchise, and for today's second, I offer you the deuce, the second, the non-pareil of partners -- a man who, while he was never the lead announcer at the MLB level, was always regarded as better than the vast majority of #1's throughout the league. Here is the ultimate second banana:

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JIM WOODS
The Possum



New York Yankees 1953-56; New York Giants 1957; Pittsburgh Pirates 1958-69; St. Louis Cardinals 1970-71; Oakland A's 1972-73; Boston Red Sox 1974-78;

Signatures:

-- He grew up in Kansas City and was a bat-boy with the Kansas City Blues team.

-- He dropped out of Mizzou (where he studied journalism) to take over Ronald Reagan's job calling University of Iowa football. Later, he followed Ernie Harwell as the Voice of the Atlanta Crackers.

-- He was nicknamed "The Possum" by outfielder Enos Slaughter. It was Woods, Bob Prince's long-time partner, who gave "The Gunner" his nickname.

-- In his 31 years as an MLB broadcaster, Woods was instantly recognizable for the burr haircut he always wore (the haircut, by the way, was the source of the 'Possum' nickname...Slaughter thought Woods looked like an 'old possum').

-- Woods had a phenomenal memory. He could recite the winners of the Kentucky Derby.

-- He was fired by the Yankees in 1956, at the bequest of sponsor Ballantine Beer, to make room for Phil Rizzuto. It is regarded in some circles that the brief time Woods was in the booth with Mel Allen and Red Barber they formed the greatest single broadcasting team in history...

-- He worked with Russ Hodges on New York Giants broadcasts and was prepared to sign a contract with Hamms Beer to follow the team to Minneapolis when Horace Stoneham opted to head for San Fran instead. Woods, who was later a pallbearer at Hodges' funeral, shuffled on to Pittsburgh.

-- The Prince-Woods combo is, like most of the combinations including Woods, considered one of baseball's greatest broadcast teams. The two engaged in endless banter, stories (not always baseball related) and other hijinks. Prince and 'The Possum' were at the mic during Harvey Haddix's famous extra-innings masterpiece turned loss. Woods was at the mic when Bob Moose tossed his no-hitter:

Bob Moose No-Hitter

-- Woods split from the Steel City after a contract disagreement with Westinghouse. He joined Jack Buck as the #2 in St. Louis, but spent two miserable years in the Gateway City. Woods left St. Louis after "coming to hate the Cardinals front office, the city, the whole tight-lipped atmosphere, where you were afraid to even smile." There have been some stories which imply that Woods and Buck did not get along...

-- After his miserable stay in St. Louis, Woods had a brief hiatus as the #2 guy for Charley O. Finley's Oakland A's. Finley wanted Woods to be a homer, Woods wouldn't do it. After he signed with Boston, Finley wanted Woods to come back to Oakland...Woods declined.

-- In 1974 Woods gravitated to WHDH in Boston where he teamed with Red Sox voice Ned Martin. "Pugnacious, impulsive, anecdotal, and brisk, Woods would serve as a brilliant converse to Martin throughout their five celebrated years as a baseball announcing team. In Woods’ hail hearty, good fellow world, Ned became 'Nedly' and every topic under the heavens was open for discussion."

-- "Martin especially took great delight in bantering with “The Possum” over his days as the number-two announcer to the longtime Pirates broadcaster, the legendary Bob Prince. Because “The Possum” and the brash Prince were two of the most legendary beer connoisseurs in Major League history, Ned once asked, “Did Budweiser sponsor you, or did you two sponsor Bud?”

-- "For five glorious seasons, Ned Martin was teamed with the sublime Jim Woods, giving the Sox a radio duo unmatched before or since, by anybody..." says Art Martone

-- SI noted that the Martin-Woods combo was "one of the most articulate and delightful teams not simply in their own league, or in baseball, either - but rather, in any sport, anywhere."

Woods Calls the 1978 Boston Finale

Jim Woods finished up his career calling baseball for network radio. He passed away in 1988 at the age of 71. During his career, Woods was the second to such luminaries as Mel Allen, Red Barber, Russ Hodges, Bob Prince, Jack Buck, Monte Moore, and Ned Martin. While he was undoubtedly good enough to be the #1 guy for almost any team, Woods never earned that kind of job. Instead, it is his work as part of a team (with New York, Pittsburgh, and in Boston) that is to his great credit.

The Allen-Barber-Woods trio is widely regarded as the greatest collection of baseball broadcasting talent to work in one booth.

The Prince-Woods duo was unlike any broadcasting partnership ever formed, then and since...

The crown jewel was the five year ascendence of Martin and Woods, forming probably the most popular radio broadcast team ever. They owned the airwaves as well as the hearts and souls of New England.

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Previous 'Voices of the Week':

Mike Shannon, of the Cardinals
Bob Prince, of the Pirates 1940s-1970s
Lanny Frattare, of the Pirates
Jack Quinlan, of the Cubs 1956-1965