Jimmy Wilkes
Quick Facts
Biography
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. He was a member of the 1946 Negro World Series championship team, and was an All-Star in 1948.
In 1949 and 1950, Wilkes played for the Houston Eagles of the Negro American League. He then played in Minor League Baseball from 1950 through 1952 in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. After only appearing in nine minor-league games in 1952, he returned to the Negro American League with the Indianapolis Clowns that season.
Wilkes subsequently played with the Brantford Red Sox of Southern Ontario from 1953 through 1963. In five of those seasons, the Red Sox were champions of the Intercounty Baseball League. He is considered one of the top 100 players in league history. After retiring as a player, Wilkes served as an umpire in the league for 23 years.