Bob Wood (author)

For other people of the same name, see Robert Wood (disambiguation).

For other people of the same name, see Bob Wood (disambiguation).

For other people of the same name, see Bobby Wood.

Robert Edward "Bob" Wood (born February 1957) is an American author, teacher, activist, and potential candidate for Congress. As a 28-year-old high school history teacher from Kalamazoo, Michigan, (though teaching in Seattle, Washington at the time), he wrote the 1988 best selling book Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks. In June 2008, the sports blog, Baseball Musings, wrote a story commemorating the 20th anniversary of Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks.

First book

Main article: Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks

During the summer of 1985, Wood visited each of the 26 Major League Baseball stadiums. He graded the sites on eight criteria: layout and upkeep, the ball field, seating, the scoreboard, food, courtesy of employees, facilities and atmosphere. Giving grades from A+ to D, Wood concluded that the two best ball parks in the majors were Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and Royals Stadium in Kansas City. The worst, he decided, were Houston's Astrodome and Toronto's Exhibition Stadium. The book was well known for its humor and Wood's tales from the road. Living on a teacher's salary, Wood sold his old Ford Pinto and bought a 1985 Toyota Tercel for the trip. In order to save money, he would often use Kampgrounds of America during the journey and wrote to every Major League team to ask for free tickets.

Second book

Main article: Big Ten Country

His follow up book in 1989 was Big Ten Country: A Journey Through One Football Season. It focused on the college football stadiums and towns in the Big Ten Conference, but did not reach the critical nor commercial success of Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks.

Career and activism

File:WoodAlabama.JPG

Wood taking part in an Alabama "Peace Walk" in 2007.

Wood, a 1980 graduate of Michigan State University, now teaches government, economics, and a course on Africa at Oakridge High School in Muskegon, Michigan. He also podcasts and maintains a blog "The Buddha Said I am Awake" , known as "The Buddha Blog", on the school's public website.

Wood is highly involved with leftist political activism and led a group of students, the "Super Dupers", in protesting the Democratic Party's use of superdelegates during the 2008 presidential election. A staunch proponent of aiding Third World citizens with microfinancing via Kiva Loans, Wood often states "Action Counts Today!"

Wood has never been married and currently resides in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Campaign for Congress

Wood is considered by several pundits to be a potential Democratic candidate for Congress from Michigan's 2nd congressional district. The seat is being vacated by Republican incumbent Peter Hoekstra. To date, a "Draft Mr. Wood for Congress Committee" is in the formative stages and has adopted "Action Counts Today!" as the campaign's slogan.

Bibliography

• Wood, Bob (1988), Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks, McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-071696-X
• Wood, Bob (1989), Big Ten Country: A Journey Through One Football Season, HarperCollins. ISBN 0-688-08922-4

External links

• Bob Wood's blog
• Baseball Musings story about 20th anniversary of Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks