Fellow former Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Derek Lowe said he was glad Curt Schilling opted to skip the ceremony honoring the franchise's 2004 World Series team after the controversial former ace revealed former teammate Tim Wakefield's cancer diagnosis against his wishes prior to his death.
“[It was] bulls**t, what he did,” Lowe told MassLive.com during a luncheon honoring the team to benefit the Foundation to Be Named Later, a Boston-based nonprofit, on Monday (April 8), one day before the ceremony during Fenway Park's Opening Day on Tuesday (April 9). “I knew a lot. Golfed with [Wakefield], knew the whole story. And understanding what they wanted out as a family, and you do that? It’s just bulls**t. Again, [Schilling not attending], is the right thing.”
Wakefield died at the age of 57 on October 1, 2023, days after Schilling revealed his cancer diagnosis on his podcast, despite acknowledging that "it’s not a message that Tim has asked anyone to share and I’m not even sure if he wants it shared" at the time. Wakefield's widow, Stacy, later died after her own cancer battle less than five months after her husband.
Wakefield, a knuckleball specialist, pitched in the majors for 19 seasons, which included 17 with the Red Sox organization, winning two World Series titles in 2004 and 2007 and making an All-Star appearance in 2009. The Florida native finished his career with a 200-180 record, 4.41 ERA and 2,156 strikeouts.