Wilson Tobs
| Wilson Tobs | |
 | |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Home Field | Fleming Stadium |
| Based in | Wilson, North Carolina |
| Colors | Gold and Black |
| Mascot | Slugger (Tobacco worm) |
| League | Coastal Plain League |
| League Titles | None |
| Manager | Bruce Johnson |
| General Manager | James Wolfe |
The Wilson Tobs are an amateur baseball team playing in the Coastal Plain League, an NCAA-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at Historic Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina. The Tobs were one of the original teams in the Coastal Plain League when the league was founded in 1997. The Tobs have always fielded competitive teams. In 2005, the Coastal Plain League named the team the CPL Organization of the Year. The Tobs' mascot has been a tobacco worm named Slugger since the 1999 season. The voices of the Tobs are Eli Pearlstein and Tim O'Brien
History
Wilson has hosted minor league teams for a century now, and most of them have been called Tobs (short for Tobacconists).
From 1908 to 1910, they played in the Eastern Carolina League. They took home that loop's crown in 1909 and were leading the championship series in 1908 when play was suspended due to a tropical storm.
They next spent eight seasons in the Virginia League. During some of those seasons the team was known as the Wilson Bugs. They won the Virginia League championship in 1922 and 1923.
Wilson was also a member of the old Class D Coastal Plain League from 1939 to 1952. They won that league's championship in 1941.
The town hosted a Carolina League entry from 1956 to 1968. That team had great success winning the league championship in 1959, 1961, and 1963. The 1966 squad boasted future Hall of Fame member Rod Carew. Wilson returned to the Carolina League for one season in 1973 as the Wilson Pennants.
Alumni
- Brad Eldred (2001); first baseman Pittsburgh Pirates (2005, 2007–present)
- Adam Greenberg (2000); outfielder Chicago Cubs (2005)
- Tom Mastny (2001); pitcher, Cleveland Indians (2006–present)
- Justin Verlander (2002); pitcher Detroit Tigers (2005–present)
External links
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