Few people have had the impact on youth sports in Wilmington as Ed Wilson, who coached and mentored young boys on the city’s baseball diamonds from 1956 to the mid 1980s.

Wilson was one of the original Winter Park Optimist Little League coaches when the league was formed in 1956. He coached the Hanover Center team to an impressive 15 league championships, 10 county titles and two state crowns. In one span, he coached the team to a then-world record 50 consecutive victories, a record that stood for more than 60 years.

Wilson died on Jan. 6, 2016, and left of legacy of longevity and success as a youth baseball coach.