[Terry D]

Michael (Tack) Wilson, an outfielder from Shreveport, La., signed with the Dodgers in 1976. Wilson spent seven years in the Dodger chain. He posted good numbers but the Dodgers were choked with outfield prospects and so they parked Wilson at Albuquerque for three years. By 1982 Wilson was no longer as young as he had been so the Dodgers passed him to the Twins. Wilson made it from AAA Toledo to Minnesota in '83 on the strength of the best season of his minor league career (.815 OPS--he had better numbers at Albuquerque, but that park's numbers were inflated). The Twins gave Wilson a mere four AB's (one hit--.250 avg.) and never recalled him again. Why? Wilson wasn't a great outfielder but he could hit, he could draw a walk, he had good speed, he had doubles and triples power. But he was 27 years old and anyway the Twins in those days were addicted to big, slow white guys. Here, though, is the first shot I have ever seen of Wilson as a Twin, courtesy of Fritsch. Now, if we could only find him as an Angel...