Fred Wilson (August 31, 1908 – September 27, 1948), nicknamed "Sardo", was an American Negro league outfielder in the 1930s and 1940s. A native of Palatka, Florida, Wilson was serving time in a Miami prison in the late 1930s when he was offered his release if he would sign with the Newark Eagles. Wilson was the player-manager of the

Cincinnati Clowns The Indianapolis Clowns were a professional baseball team in the Negro American League. Tracing their origins back to the 1930s, the Clowns were the last of the Negro league teams to disband, continuing to play exhibition games into the 1980s. The ...

in 1943, and was selected to play in the

East–West All-Star Game The East–West All-Star Game was an annual all-star game for Negro league baseball players. The game was the brainchild of Gus Greenlee, owner of the Pittsburgh Crawfords. In 1933 he decided to emulate the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, usi ...

that season. Wilson served in the US Army during World War II. Known for his erratic and sometimes violent behavior, Wilson reportedly stabbed teammate

Dave Barnhill David Barnhill (October 30, 1914 – January 8, 1983) was an American Negro league baseball pitcher. Barnhill played from 1937 to 1949, mostly with the New York Cubans. He also played for the New York Giants in the minor leagues from 1949 to 1953 ...

in 1944, causing Barnhill to miss the season. Wilson himself died of a stab wound in Miami, Florida in 1948 at age 40.

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1908 births 1948 deaths Cincinnati Clowns players New York Cubans players Newark Eagles players Baseball outfielders Baseball players from Florida People from Palatka, Florida 20th-century African-American sportspeople Deaths by stabbing in Florida {{Negro-league-baseball-outfielder-stub