IN THE WORKS

A tribute to George Wigton

Dan Doyle is in the process of writing a ‘Basketball Bugle’ article on his beloved Bates College (ME) coach and New England Basketball Hall of Famer George Wigton. Here’s one snippet from George’s career.

In 1963, after the sudden and unexspected mid-season death of Hugh Greer, head coach of the University of Conneticut’s men’s basketball team, his assistant, George Wigton, and the team’s graduate assistant, Len Carlson, had to coach the Huskies. Len, who was just a few years younger than George, had led UConn in scoring the two previous seasons. That same season, these two young men coached the UConn team into the NCAA tournament.

As a fellow New England Basketball Hall of Famer, Len Carlson said in a recent The Hartford Courant article, “There wasn’t a person on the face of the Earth who didn’t like George Wigton.” Additionally, Len has expressed to the ‘THE BUGLE’ that Coach Wigton was a real gentleman who had a calmness about him that brought the best out of you. Players trusted him. He was always very selfless and genuine. You wanted to do the best by him. George was a giver not a taker! In the 50 plus years I have known him, he has never changed.”

Submitted by Creative Director of the Basketball Bugle, Maureen Baron