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Community Corner

Milt Wilcox: From World Champion to Royal Oak Icon

Retired from baseball, former Detroit Tigers pitcher has poured his love of dogs and water into a successful dog jumping business.

He was the star you saw around Royal Oak long before Hollywood started shooting here.

It wasn’t uncommon to run into Milt Wilcox, who moved to Royal Oak in 1977 during his playing days with the Detroit Tigers. He'd often be seen driving a pickup truck – usually toting a couple of beautiful Labrador retrievers – or at a dog park or catching a bite to eat downtown.

Wilcox, 61, is more than just a former athlete who once played for the home team. He was a starting pitcher for the 1984 World Championship team. His teammates were Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker, Kirk Gibson, Tom Brookens, Chet Lemon and Lance Parrish, among others. Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson managed them.

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After a career with 119 wins and a World Series ring, in retirement Wilcox found himself on a new team. It just happen to have members with tails that wag and probably worse breath. Wilcox's love of dogs led him to find found solace and enjoyment in­­­­­ the world of dog jumping.

Dog jumping is an event in which dogs compete by running down a long dock and jumping into a pool or lake. The jump's distance is measured, recorded and compared against other dogs in various categories at the same event.

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“In 2000, I got a black Lab from a buddy of mine. That dog being a Lab and me being around water a lot, he liked to swim,” Wilcox said. “ESPN had the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge with the dog running down the dock, so I went to an event.”

Wilcox brought with him the black Lab, whom he named Sparky Anderson, and things snowballed from there.

In 2002, he founded Ultimate Air Dogs. He bought a pool and a dock, and began putting on dog jumping events around Metro Detroit and parts of Ohio. Things took off after five or six years.

The man who once won 17 games enroute to the World Series championship and called Royal Oak home now navigates the Midwest, East Coast and parts of the South. He does about 50-60 shows dog jumping shows per year.

In 2007, Wilcox changed his scenery considerably when he moved to Florida and married his wife, Cathi, whom he met at a dog jumping event in Fort Myers, FL. His mother still lives in Royal Oak and Wilcox said he makes it back when he can.

The legend on the mound turned into a founder and spokesman for a leading dog jumping organization that got its start in Royal Oak. Cathi Wilcox, however, puts it a little better.

“At events he says, ‘I’m Milt Wilcox. I used to throw baseballs and now I throw dog toys!' ”

You can find more information about Wilcox and UAD at ultimateairdogs.net

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