ALTON — Jim Wigger, the legendary Alton High School track and cross country coach, died recently at the age of 94. Arrangements are pending at Gent Funeral Home in Alton.
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Former athletes and community members plan to honor Wigger’s legacy with a silent lap around the Jim Wigger Track at Jim Wigger Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, from 3 to 4 p.m. The public is invited to join the event, which begins at 3 p.m. at the stadium entrance on State Street. Participants are encouraged to wear Alton High red clothing or any red apparel as a tribute.
Wigger’s impact on Alton High athletics was profound. According to Steve Porter, a Hall of Fame sports writer with the Telegraph, Wigger coached Alton High’s track and field teams to three state championships in 1963, 1964, and 1969.
“They were the Southwestern Illinois track power in the 1960s before East St. Louis,” Porter said, noting that the 1969 championship was the last team title Alton High won in any sport.
Porter described Wigger as “arguably the best coach Alton High ever had,” emphasizing his ability to develop talented athletes and achieve sustained success.
“His success is unmatched in Alton High coaching history,” Porter added. Wigger was also an inaugural inductee into the Alton Athletic Hall of Fame.
Oscar Wallace, a former state champion long jumper coached by Wigger, recalled the coach’s dedication and approach to training.
“Coaching was his life. He would always have something new to bring to the table, and he would get you there like no other coach I had,” Wallace said. “He had you working out hard and enjoying him.”
Wallace, who went on to compete collegiately in Texas, credited Wigger with shaping his athletic and personal development.
Wigger’s coaching philosophy emphasized endurance and strength, with a focus on building well-rounded athletes. This approach helped produce a string of successful jumpers and middle-distance runners during his tenure. His assistants, including Richard Johnson, contributed to a coaching team that nurtured athletes from junior high through high school.
Community members remember Wigger not only for his coaching achievements but also for his character.
“He was a good man,” Wallace said. “I think about him every day. Won’t be another person like him.”
The upcoming silent lap event at Jim Wigger Track offers an opportunity for former athletes, students, and community members to celebrate the life and legacy of a coach who left a lasting mark on Alton High School sports.
Click here for the obituary for Jim Wigger.
