Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee - Baseball

Carson Bigbee, born in 1895, grew up in Lebanon and played baseball at the University of Oregon before beginning a standout career in the Major Leagues.

Bigbee played part of just one season for the Ducks, 1915, before turning professional. He reached the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1916 at age 21, and played 11 seasons with the team. He played four games and had one hit in the 1925 World Series, which the Pirates won in seven games over the Washington Senators.

In his 11 seasons, he hit .300 or better twice, including .350 in 1922, and finished with 1,205 hits, 17 home runs, 324 RBIs and a .287 career average in 1,147 games.

Bigbee stole 182 bases, which earned him the nickname “Skeeter.”

Following his career with the Pirates, Bigbee played two more seasons in the Pacific Coast League for the Portland Beavers, Seattle Indians and Los Angeles Angels before retiring in 1928 at age 33.

He managed the Muskegon, Wis., Lassies of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League to a record of 46-66 in 1949.

His older brother Lyle, who played at Oregon from 1913-15, also reached the Major Leagues as a pitcher for parts of two seasons, 1920-21. The two played together for a short time in 1921.

Carson Bigbee died in 1964 in Portland at age 69. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 1980.