Dick Wilson

Richard Clyde Wilson

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• High School Inglewood High School

• Born October 4, 1922 in Salina, KS USA
• Died March 9, 2009 in Sun Valley, NV USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Dick Wilson played very little before he was 24, due somewhat to the war years. Once he did play, he led his league in HR 4 times, RBI twice, and AVG once, and was named MVP of the California League.

In 1948, he was the manager and all-star catcher in the Sunset League for the Mexicali Aguilas, hitting .347 while leading the league with 42 HR and 188 RBI. He was the all-star catcher in the California League for the Visalia Cubs in 1949, hitting .300, 26 HR, 93 RBI. In 1950, he moved to 1B and won his MVP with the Modesto Reds, hitting .319 and leading the league with 30 HR and 154 RBI. In 1951 with Modesto again, he was the all-star 1B in the Cal League, missing the Triple Crown by 2 RBI. He led the league with 205 H, 55 2B, 40 HR, and a .371 AVG. No MVP was named that year. He split 1952 between Modesto (.310, 10, 52) and the Hollywood Stars (.233, 3, 16). With Modesto in 1953 he hit .318, 24, 125. He played very little in 1954 with the San Jose Red Sox or the Boise Pilots, and was out of organized ball in 1955.

He turned to player-managing in 1956, hitting .350, 33, 132, being named all-star 1B, and taking over managing from Art Lilly for the last place Bakersfield Boosters. Back with the renamed Bakersfield Bears in 1957, he led the league with 27 HR, but was replaced by Babe Herman as manager partway through the year. He hit .365, 17, 78 as a part-time player-manager for the Magic Valley Cowboys in 1958, and .287, 9, 81 for the Wenatchee Chiefs in 1959. He started as player-manager for the Chiefs in 1960, but went to the Salem Senators in the same league as a player, then moved to Bakersfield to finish out his playing that year. He managed the Magic Valley club to 2nd place in 1965. He won his first league title as manager with the Great Falls Giants in 1971, the managed them to 2nd place in 1972.

Wilson scouted for the San Francisco Giants organization from the 1960s until 1983.

Notable Achievements

• 1950 MVP California League, Modesto Reds