Wade was originally signed as an amateur free agent
pitcher by the
Brooklyn Dodgers organization. He then was assigned to their
Ponca City affiliate club of the
Kansas–Oklahoma–Missouri League in 1947. As an 18-year-old rookie, Wade had a split season record while building a 10–9 record in 28 pitching appearances and hitting for a .318 average in 59 games as an outfielder. After that, he made the switch to outfield, where he spent the rest of his professional baseball career. Wade would go on to lead four different circuits in stolen bases during his minor league career and twice in the
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. Wade also played in the
Cleveland Indians,
Cincinnati Reds,
Kansas City Athletics and
Milwaukee Braves' minor league systems in all of part of fifteen seasons spanning 1947–1961. In 1955, he posted a .292 average with career-highs in
home runs (20),
runs batted in (67) and stolen bases (67) in 120 games. In addition, Wade played winter baseball with the
Leones del Caracas,
Navegantes del Magallanes and
Indios de Oriente in Venezuela, where he built a fan base around him, earning the nickname
Galgo (greyhound) for his flashy speed on the bases. In a four-season stint, he batted .304 and stole 44 bases in 163 games, and accompanied his pennant-winning Caracas to the
1953 Caribbean Series, where he batted .353. Wade's major league career with the Chicago Cubs included parts of two seasons (1955, 1956). He was in the starting lineup on both opening days. Wade's baseball career ended in 1961 when he was hit by a pitch, permanently damaging his eyesight. Following baseball, he worked for over 25 years at a power company. Wade also served on the
McDowell County School Board. His hobbies included hunting, hiking, and golfing, which he played until the age of 91. His grandson, Gardiner is a police officer with the Round Lake Beach PD in Round Lake Illinois. Wade died after a brief illness on January 15, 2022, four days before his 93rd birthday. ==References==