# Wilson Tobs (minor league baseball)

The Wilson Tobs were a minor league baseball club based in Wilson, North Carolina and played periodically between 1908 and 1973. The Tobs nickname was a shortened form of the word "tobacconists". From 1908 to 1910, the team was officially known as the Wilson Tobacconists and played in the Eastern Carolina League. The club won the league's championship in 1909 and they were in the championship series in 1908, when play was suspended due to a tropical storm. They then next spent eight seasons in the Virginia League. During the 1920–1922 and 1924–1927 seasons the team was known as the Wilson Bugs. They won the Virginia League championship in 1922 and 1923. From 1939 to 1952, the renamed Wilson Tobs were also a member of the Class D Coastal Plain League, winning that league's championship in 1941. The 1941 Tobs were recognized as one of the 100 greatest minor league teams of all time. In 1942, the team played in the Bi-State League.
The team also played in the Carolina League from 1956 to 1968, winning the league championship in 1959, 1961, and 1963. The 1966 team had future Hall of Fame member Rod Carew in their line-up. Wilson returned to the Carolina League for one season in 1973 as the Wilson Pennants.
Currently, a summer collegiate baseball team plays at Fleming Stadium as the Wilson Tobs.

## Notable Wilson Alumni

Hall of Fame Alumni
* Rod Carew (1966) Inducted, 1990
Notable Alumni
* Ted Abernathy (1973)
* Donn Clendenon (1959) 1969 World Series Most Valuable Player
* Ripper Collins (1923) 3 x MLB All-Star; 1934 NL Home Run Leader
* Jack Fisher (1958)
* Jimmie Hall (1957) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Pat Kelly (1964-1965) MLB All-Star
* Jack McKeon (1960-1961, MGR) Manager: 2003 World Series Champion - Florida Marlins
* Charlie Manuel (1965-1966) Manager: 2008 World Series Champion - Philadelphia Phillies
* George Mitterwald (1966)
* William D. Mullins (1957) member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
* Cal Ripken (1958)
* Rich Rollins (1960) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Lee Stange (1960)
* Bob Veale (1959) 2 x MLB All-Star; threw a no-hitter for Wilson in 1959

## Seasons

| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Notes |
| 1908 | 36-18 | 1st | Earl Holt | Abandoned due to weather down 2-1 |
| 1909 | 50-39 | 1st | Earl Holt | League Champs |
| 1910 | 44-39 | 2nd | Charles McGeehan | |
| 1923 | 70-52 | 1st (t) | Rube Oldring | |
| 1939 | 64-61 | 6th | Frank Rodgers | |
| 1940 | 77-49 | 1st | Frank Rodgers | Lost in 1st round |
| 1941 | 87-30 | 1st | Bill Herring | League Champs |
| 1942 | 69-53 | 1st | Bill Herring | Lost in 1st round |
| 1946 | 67-57 | 3rd | Irv Dickens | Lost in 1st round |
| 1947 | 79-61 | 1st | Max Wilson | Lost League Finals |
| 1948 | 61-79 | 6th | Max Wilson / Irv Dickens / Bob Latshaw | |
| 1949 | 57-79 | 8th | Ross Morrow | |
| 1950 | 68-70 | 5th | Bill Herring | |
| 1951 | 69-57 | 4th | Joe Antolick / Alfred Rehm | Lost League Finals |
| 1952 | 71-51 | 2nd | Jake McComas / Alfred Rehm | Lost in 1st round |
| 1956 | 72-79 | 6th | Charlie Gassaway | |
| 1957 | 51-89 overall | 6th | Pete Suder | Kinston moved to Wilson on May 11 |
| 1958 | 60-78 | 7th | Bob Hooper / Barney Lutz | |
| 1959 | 71-58 | 2nd | Hardy Peterson / Don Osborn (7/14-8/13) / Hardy Peterson | League Champs |
| 1960 | 73-65 | 2nd | Jack McKeon | |
| 1961 | 83-56 | 1st | Jack McKeon | League Champs |
| 1962 | 65-75 | 5th | Harry Warner | |
| 1963 | 77-67 | 5th | Ralph Rowe | League Champs |
| 1964 | 57-82 | 7th | Ralph Rowe | |
| 1965 | 68-75 | 6th | Vern Morgan | |
| 1966 | 72-65 | 5th | Vern Morgan | |
| 1967 | 61-72 | 11th | Vern Morgan | |
| 1968 | 71-68 | 5th | Vern Morgan | |
| 1973 | 52-88 | 6th | Ray Hathaway (18-34) / Marshall Fox (0-1) / Don Lock (34-53) | |