Jimmy Wilkes

Jimmy Wilkes
Outfielder
Born: (1925-10-01)October 1, 1925 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: August 11, 2008(2008-08-11) (aged 82) Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Batted: Left Threw: Left
Negro leagues debut
1945, for the Newark Eagles
Last appearance
1948, for the Newark Eagles
Negro National League statistics
Batting average	.239
Home runs	4
Runs scored	59
Teams
Newark Eagles (1945–1948)
Career highlights and awards
Negro League World Series champion (1946) All-Star (1948)

James Eugene Wilkes (October 1, 1925 – August 11, 2008), nicknamed "Seabiscuit", was a professional baseball outfielder. He played in Negro league baseball for the Newark Eagles from 1945 to 1948.[1] He was a member of the 1946 Negro World Series championship team,[2] and was an All-Star in 1948.[3]

In 1949 and 1950, Wilkes played for the Houston Eagles of the Negro American League.[4] He then played in Minor League Baseball from 1950 through 1952 in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization.[5] After only appearing in nine minor-league games in 1952,[5] he returned to the Negro American League with the Indianapolis Clowns that season.[4]

Wilkes subsequently played with the Brantford Red Sox of Southern Ontario from 1953 through 1963.[6] In five of those seasons, the Red Sox were champions of the Intercounty Baseball League.[4] He is considered one of the top 100 players in league history.[6] After retiring as a player, Wilkes served as an umpire in the league for 23 years.[7][4]

References

1. "Jimmy Wilkes Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
2. "1946 Newark Eagles Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
3. "All-Star Game Player Career Batting Register". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
4. "Jimmy 'Seabiscuit' Wilkes". Western Canada Baseball. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
5. "Jimmy Wilkes Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
6. "Top 100 IBL Players". theibl.ca. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
7. Beare, Ted (May 29, 1976). "Beare Facts (column)". The Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. p. 8. Retrieved January 29, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

Further reading

• LeMoine, Bob. "Jimmy Wilkes". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved January 29, 2022.

External links

• Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Seamheads
• Jimmy Wilkes at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum