*Bobby L. Wilkins

*SHREVEPORT, LA - Mr. Bobby L. Wilkins passed away on Sunday, January 3, 2010, at Grace Home, after a lengthy illness. Visitation will be held from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 5th, at Osborn Funeral Home. Graveside services will begin at 12:00 noon, Wednesday, January 6, 2010, at Greenwood Cemetery, Stoner Avenue. Officiating will be The Reverend Paul Martin, Assistant Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Mr. Wilkins was a native of Denton, North Carolina and a resident of Shreveport for 60 years. He was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Bobby began his professional baseball career with the Philadelphia Athletics. He was also a shortstop with the Shreveport Sports where he set the Texas League record of 159 most consecutive chances without error in 1949. In 1951, Wilkins set the record for the most double plays (71) started in a season. Following his retirement from baseball he was Chief of Identification for the Caddo Sheriff's Department. After retiring from the Sheriff's Department he taught and coached in local high schools. He attended Catawba College, Salisbury, NC; Duke University, Durham, NC and graduated from the FBI National Academy and was elected president of the Louisiana Division, Inc., International Association for Identification.

Mr. Wilkins was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and a sister. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Connie Johnson Wilkins; one brother, Dr. Joe Wilkins of Charlotte, NC; and several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be John Webb, Jim Scruggs, Dr. David Clemons, Keith Evans, Jim Kyle and Calvin Head.

Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Claude Pasquier, Arthur Carmody, Jr., Brooks Robinson and all members of the M.L.B.P. Alumni Association. * OSBORNFUNERALHOME.NET

318-865-8426*

* Published in Shreveport Times on January 5, 2010

Source: www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=138179462

ROBERT LINWOOD WILKINS DEAD AT 87

( 11 August 1922 - 3 January 2010 )

He was born in Denton, North Carolina.

He was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1944 through 1945 for the Philadelphia Athletics.

Listed at 5' 9", 165 lb., Wilkins batted and threw right-handed.

He made his MLB debut on 18 April 1944 and played in his last MLB game on 6 September 1945.

Wilkins attended Catawba College, where he played in the baseball squad along with VERN BENSON and RAY POOLE.

He entered the majors in 1944 with the Athletics, playing for them in part of two seasons as the primarly backup to incumbent shortstop Ed Busch.

Through his two-season career, Wilkins was a .257 hitter ( 46-for-179 ) in 86 games, including 29 runs, six doubles, seven RBI, two stolen bases, and a .304 on-base percentage.

After that, Wilkins attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and graduated from FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

A resident of Shreveport, Louisiana for 60 years, Wilkins also played Minor league baseball for eleven seasons, four of them with the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League, where he set league records of 159 most consecutive chances without commiting an error (1949), and for the most double plays (71) started in a season (1951).

He posted a .249 career average in 1017 games.

Following his baseball career, Wilkins worked as Chief of Identification for the Caddo Sheriff's Department, and was elected president of the Louisiana Division, Inc., International Association for Identification.

After retiring he taught and coached in local high schools.

Robert Linwood Wilkins died at the age of 87 on 3 January 2010 following a lenghty illness.