Tiger in the Tank

Robert "Bob" Wiggins, now in his mid-seventies, was an all-star outfielder who starred for the  Raleigh Tigers of baseball’s Negro Leagues, in both 1959 and 1960.

Wiggins was not only fortunate enough to have played professional baseball, but also with many of those who were featured in what was then called, the 28th Annual (and officially last) East-West Negro League All-Star Baseball game back in 1960.

On the Tigers with Wiggins were such players as second baseman Rufus Gibson, first baseman Ralph Fortson and East Team catcher Robert Worthington. Charlie Neal of the Los Angles Dodgers, Milt Smith of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Wes Covington of the Milwaukee Braves were also members of the Raleigh Tigers. The Tigers - who were first organized in 1946 - won numerous championships in both the former Southern League and then in the old Negro American Association prior to joining the famed Negro American League (NAL).

Arthur Dove, the Raleigh, North Carolina juke box tycoon and owner of the Tigers, had a great love for the game. His love inspired him to accept a challenge and enter his team into what was then the strongest Negro baseball league. At that time, this League featured the famed Kansas City Monarchs, the Detroit Stars, the Birmingham Black Barons, the Memphis Red Sox and the Newark Indians. Popular season veteran Philip Johnson of Canada’s Western Baseball Leagues was then hired as the Tigers first NAL manager, as Dove recruited what he believed was the best manager available in order to compete with those legendary NAL teams.

During Bob’s run with the Tigers, he shared outfield duties with Oscar Walker, Vincent Hills James Spease, hot shot Alfonza Carmichael, and William Bridges. Among the other stars that were recruited by both Dove and Johnson was an 18-year old infielder Ronald “Don” Bush and 22-year-old fireballer named Gene Holmes. Wiggins who later played on many “Black” Barnstorming teams, toured throughout the Midwest and then in Canada. He continued his baseball career into the early sixties and before retiring from the game, he received an invitation to the Chicago Cubs training camp.

Despite a valiant effort by Wiggins, he was unable to make the National League squad so he then decided to hang up his cleats in and retire for good. In his post baseball career, Wiggins helped coach many younger ball players on the art of playing the outfield and in the art of hitting. “I could always hit,” Wiggins fondly recalled.

Later he then became a roving minor league instructor for such teams as the Northern League’s Gary Railcats. While earning a living outside of the game, Wiggins was employed by Corn Products better known today as Best Foods. He worked there for exactly 40 years, retiring in 1999. Parents of five children, Wiggins and his wife Frances, now live in Argo Summit, Illinois, just west of Chicago’s city limits.