# Pepper Wilson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pepper_Wilson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pepper_Wilson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_Wilson > Source revision: 1275837508 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American public relations executive (1921–1988)}} '''George F. "Pepper" Wilson''' (c. 1921 – September 29, 1988) was an American public relations executive who served as general manager of the [Cincinnati Royals](/source/Sacramento_Kings) from 1958 to 1969. ==Early life== Wilson was born in [Birmingham, Alabama](/source/Birmingham%2C_Alabama) and moved to [Cincinnati](/source/Cincinnati) during his youth. He graduated from [Withrow High School](/source/Withrow_High_School) in 1939. He played for the Withrow High baseball team and received the nickname Pepper because his style of play was seen as similar to [Pepper Martin](/source/Pepper_Martin)'s. He attended the [University of Cincinnati](/source/University_of_Cincinnati) and spent a year with the ''[Cincinnati Post](/source/Cincinnati_Post)'' before joining the [United States Army Air Corps](/source/United_States_Army_Air_Corps). He was the Oahu correspondent for ''[Stars and Stripes](/source/Stars_and_Stripes_(newspaper))''. When [World War II](/source/World_War_II) ended, Wilson returned to the ''Post'', where he remained until 1949. He then spent eight years as the sports information director at the [University of Dayton](/source/University_of_Dayton). ==Cincinnati Royals== When the Rochester Royals moved to Cincinnati in 1957, Wilson joined the team as publicity director. He served as the club's de facto general manager after [Les Harrison](/source/Les_Harrison_(basketball)) sold the team and was official given the title in October 1958.{{cite news |title=Pepper Wilson GM of Royals 5 |work=Daily Defender |date=October 25, 1958}} In 1969 the team hired [Joe Axelson](/source/Joe_Axelson) as the team's new general manager while Wilson, who was promoted to vice president, would handle player development, contracts, player transactions, and scouting.{{cite news |last1=Gundelfinger |first1=Phil |title=Cincy Royals, In Shakeup |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=April 17, 1969}} However, Wilson soon left the team to become the public relations director for the [Cincinnati Zoo](/source/Cincinnati_Zoo_and_Botanical_Garden).{{cite news |last1=Berkow |first1=Ira |title=Zoo Job Is Similar To His Old One |work=Kingsport Times |date=December 11, 1970}} ==Later life== Wilson worked for the Zoo for nine years. In 1979 he joined ''[The Cincinnati Enquirer](/source/The_Cincinnati_Enquirer)'' as a copy editor, but was forced to leave after a week due to a stroke. He then served as an account supervisor at Kemble Communications until 1980, when a heart attack forced his retirement. Wilson died on September 29, 1988, following another heart attack. He was buried in [Spring Grove Cemetery](/source/Spring_Grove_Cemetery).{{cite news |title=Obituaries |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |date=November 1, 1988}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{Sacramento Kings general manager navbox}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Pepper}} Category:1988 deaths Category:Burials at Spring Grove Cemetery Category:American public relations people Category:The Cincinnati Enquirer people Category:Cincinnati Royals executives Category:Businesspeople from Cincinnati Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II Category:University of Cincinnati alumni Category:University of Dayton people Category:Year of birth uncertain --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pepper Wilson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_Wilson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_Wilson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.