Alan Wiggins | |
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Second baseman / Outfielder | |
Born: Los Angeles, California, U.S. | February 17, 1958|
Died: January 6, 1991 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 32)|
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 4, 1981, for the San Diego Padres | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 28, 1987, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .259 |
Home runs | 5 |
Runs batted in | 118 |
Stolen bases | 242 |
Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Teams | |
Alan Anthony Wiggins (February 17, 1958 – January 6, 1991) was an American professional baseball player. He was a second baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles between 1981 and 1987. A speedy leadoff hitter, Wiggins had his best season with the pennant-winning Padres in 1984. He batted one slot ahead of Tony Gwynn in the lineup that year, and the pair's offensive production helped the Padres win the National League Championship Series (NLCS) and advance to the World Series.
Wiggins grew up in California and attended Pasadena City College before being drafted by the California Angels in 1977. He played in the minor league systems of the Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers, setting a professional baseball single-season record with 120 stolen bases in 1980. He made his major league debut with the San Diego Padres in 1981, and he became a regular player within two years. In 1983 he set the Padres' single-season stolen base record, a mark that he extended the following season. His 1984 stolen bases total (70) is still a team record as of the start of the 2024 season[update].
During his major league career, Wiggins struggled with drug addiction, which resulted in several arrests and suspensions from baseball. His drug problems prompted a 1985 trade from San Diego to Baltimore, where Wiggins spent three seasons. After leaving baseball, he was diagnosed with AIDS, and he was the first MLB player known to die of the disease. Long after his death, two of his children, Candice and Alan Jr., became professional basketball players.