Alan Wiggins
Encyclopedia
Alan Anthony Wiggins was a Major League Baseball
second baseman
and left fielder
. He was the first baseball
player known to die of AIDS
.
. After graduating from Hialeah High School
in Hialeah, Florida
, he went back to California
, and spent one year at Pasadena Community College before being selected by the California Angels as the eighth overall pick of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
.
Wiggins failed to live up to his early promise, and after a season and a half in the Angels' organization, in which he batted .241 with two home run
s, he was released. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers
shortly afterwards, and picked up an incredible 120 stolen base
s for the Lodi Dodgers in . He caught the eye of San Diego Padres
General Manager Jack McKeon
, who drafted him in the 1980 rule 5 draft
.
, he was converted into an outfielder
with the Hawaii Islanders
of the Pacific Coast League
in . After batting .302 with 33 runs batted in, he received a September call-up. In his first season, he only got 14 at bat
s, but made the most of them, picking up five hits
.
Wiggins split between the Islanders and Padres. He was busted for possession of cocaine
just after the All-Star break, and underwent drug treatment. By the end of April , he earned the lead-off spot in the Padres' batting order without earning a regular job on the field, as he split his playing time between the three outfield
positions and first base. That year he proved much of the praise for him was correct, as he stole 66 bases, which was good for second in the league behind Tim Raines
. Even though his job was to be fast and steal bases, his .276 batting average
was also impressive. He picked up 139 hits that year.
Wiggins was converted back into a second baseman
in . With Wiggins again batting lead-off, and Tony Gwynn
batting second, the Padres scored 93 first inning runs. Wiggins finished second in the league in runs scored with 106, and set the Padres' single season stolen base record with 70 to help lead the Padres to their first ever division championship. He batted .316 in the 1984 National League Championship Series
against the Chicago Cubs
, going two-for-three with two runs
scored in the fifth and deciding game. In the 1984 World Series
, Wiggins batted .364.
on June 27 for pitcher
Roy Lee Jackson
and a player to be named later. Wiggins was plugged into the lead-off spot in the Orioles' line-up, where he batted .285, scored 43 runs and led the team with 30 stolen bases.
In , Wiggins fell into disfavor with manager Earl Weaver
, and found himself reassigned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
at one point in the season. Wiggins batted .251 with 21 stolen bases and 30 runs scored, splitting playing time with Juan Bonilla
at second base, for an Orioles team that finished in last place for the first time in franchise history.
The following season, Cal Ripken, Sr.
replaced Weaver at the helm for the Orioles. Wiggins shared the second base assignment with Rick Burleson
until Billy Ripken
joined the club in July. From there, Wiggins assumed more of a utility role, pinch hitting, designated hitter
, and occasionally spelling Ripken at second and Larry Sheets
in left until he was released on September 29 with a .232 batting average
.
, is a star basketball
player for the Minnesota Lynx
of the WNBA
. Before joining the Lynx as the third overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft
, she had been an All-American performer at Stanford University
. On January 31, 2008, in a game against USC
, she scored 18 points to pass Kate Starbird
as the all-time Stanford women's basketball scoring leader. His son, Alan Wiggins, Jr., is also playing professional basketball; he signed a one-year contract with German club Eisbären Bremerhaven
in July 2007.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
. He was the first baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player known to die of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
Early career
Wiggins was born in 1958 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. After graduating from Hialeah High School
Hialeah High School
Hialeah High School is a secondary school located at 251 E 47th Street in Hialeah, Florida, USA.-History:Hialeah High School opened its doors to students and staff in 1953 to serve the growing communities of Northwestern Miami-Dade County. It is one of the oldest secondary schools in the county,...
in Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
, he went back to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and spent one year at Pasadena Community College before being selected by the California Angels as the eighth overall pick of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
1977 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :The White Sox raised some brows when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill Gullickson, a native of nearby Orland Park, IL, and selected outfielder Harold Baines as the number one...
.
Wiggins failed to live up to his early promise, and after a season and a half in the Angels' organization, in which he batted .241 with two home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, he was released. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
shortly afterwards, and picked up an incredible 120 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s for the Lodi Dodgers in . He caught the eye of San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
General Manager Jack McKeon
Jack McKeon
John Aloysius McKeon , nicknamed Trader Jack, is a former Major League Baseball manager. In 2003, he won a World Series with the Florida Marlins...
, who drafted him in the 1980 rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
.
San Diego Padres
After having spent most of his minor league career as an infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, he was converted into an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with the Hawaii Islanders
Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in . After batting .302 with 33 runs batted in, he received a September call-up. In his first season, he only got 14 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s, but made the most of them, picking up five hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
.
Wiggins split between the Islanders and Padres. He was busted for possession of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
just after the All-Star break, and underwent drug treatment. By the end of April , he earned the lead-off spot in the Padres' batting order without earning a regular job on the field, as he split his playing time between the three outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
positions and first base. That year he proved much of the praise for him was correct, as he stole 66 bases, which was good for second in the league behind Tim Raines
Tim Raines
Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
. Even though his job was to be fast and steal bases, his .276 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
was also impressive. He picked up 139 hits that year.
Wiggins was converted back into a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in . With Wiggins again batting lead-off, and Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
batting second, the Padres scored 93 first inning runs. Wiggins finished second in the league in runs scored with 106, and set the Padres' single season stolen base record with 70 to help lead the Padres to their first ever division championship. He batted .316 in the 1984 National League Championship Series
1984 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1984 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisBob Dernier led off the game for the Cubs with a homer, and things went steadily downhill for the Padres as Chicago romped to a crushing 13–0 win in their first postseason game since 1945. Gary Matthews also homered in the first...
against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, going two-for-three with two runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
scored in the fifth and deciding game. In the 1984 World Series
1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
, Wiggins batted .364.
Baltimore Orioles
Wiggins was batting .054 two weeks into the season when he was suspended by the Padres following a relapse into cocaine dependency. Upon completion of a drug rehabilitation program, he was never reactivated by the Padres, and was traded to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
on June 27 for pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Roy Lee Jackson
Roy Lee Jackson
Roy Lee Jackson was a Pitcher for the New York Mets , Toronto Blue Jays , San Diego Padres and Minnesota Twins ....
and a player to be named later. Wiggins was plugged into the lead-off spot in the Orioles' line-up, where he batted .285, scored 43 runs and led the team with 30 stolen bases.
In , Wiggins fell into disfavor with manager Earl Weaver
Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...
, and found himself reassigned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
at one point in the season. Wiggins batted .251 with 21 stolen bases and 30 runs scored, splitting playing time with Juan Bonilla
Juan Bonilla
Juan Guillermo Bonilla in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Juan Bonilla is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from 1981-1987 as a second baseman.He played for the San Diego Padres,Baltimore Orioles,and New York Yankees...
at second base, for an Orioles team that finished in last place for the first time in franchise history.
The following season, Cal Ripken, Sr.
Cal Ripken, Sr.
Calvin Edwin Ripken, Sr. was a coach and manager in Major League Baseball who spent 36 years in the Baltimore Orioles organization, also as a player and scout. He played in the Orioles' farm system beginning in 1957, and later served as manager of the parent club, on which his sons Cal Jr...
replaced Weaver at the helm for the Orioles. Wiggins shared the second base assignment with Rick Burleson
Rick Burleson
Richard Paul Burleson is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. "Rooster," as he was nicknamed was a famously intense ballplayer...
until Billy Ripken
Billy Ripken
William Oliver Ripken is an American radio personality for XM Satellite Radio, a studio analyst for MLB Network's "MLB Tonight," and is a former infielder in Major League Baseball from –...
joined the club in July. From there, Wiggins assumed more of a utility role, pinch hitting, designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, and occasionally spelling Ripken at second and Larry Sheets
Larry Sheets
Larry Kent Sheets , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played for the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and Seattle Mariners from 1984 to 1990 and 1993...
in left until he was released on September 29 with a .232 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.
Death
Wiggins died in a hospital in his hometown of Los Angeles, on January 6, 1991, reportedly of complications due to AIDS. Most believe he fell victim to the disease through his drug problems. He is the first baseball player known to have died from AIDS.Athlete children
His daughter, Candice WigginsCandice Wiggins
Candice Dana Wiggins is American basketball guard for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. She previously played for the Stanford University women's basketball team where she is the all-time leading scorer in Stanford women's basketball history and in the Pac-10 Conference women's basketball history....
, is a star basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player for the Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. Before joining the Lynx as the third overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft
2008 WNBA Draft
The 2008 WNBA Draft is the league's annual process for determining which teams receive the rights to negotiate with players entering the league. The draft was held on April 9, 2008....
, she had been an All-American performer at Stanford University
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
. On January 31, 2008, in a game against USC
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
, she scored 18 points to pass Kate Starbird
Kate Starbird
Kate Starbird is a former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association and the American Basketball League ....
as the all-time Stanford women's basketball scoring leader. His son, Alan Wiggins, Jr., is also playing professional basketball; he signed a one-year contract with German club Eisbären Bremerhaven
Eisbären Bremerhaven
The team was born of the older team BSG Bremerhaven and is playing its sixth season in the Basketball Bundesliga .-Roster:- Depth Chart :-Other Staff:*Assistant Coach: Stephan Voelkel*Athletic Trainer: Michael Seedorf...
in July 2007.