He was named a columnist in December 1949, and distinguished himself for taking progressive stands on civil rights, economic investment in Latin America to combat the rise of communism, and preserving the environment.
Later, though, when he was asked by a Time magazine reporter how his newspaper scooped both the announcement as well as the turning back of Soviet ships, Baggs answered, "A roseate spoonbill told us."
An active anti-Communist, Baggs published numerous anti-Castro editorials and articles during the early days of the Fidel Castro regime in Cuba, beginning in 1959.
Baggs cultivated numerous news sources from within the anti-Castro Soldier-of-Fortune community in South Florida, including Gerry Patrick Hemming, Roy Hargraves, Eddie Collins and William Whatley, as well as Alex Rorke and several others.
He also worked with Frank Sturgis and Bernard Barker to develop news leads and sources about the South Florida anti-Castro exile community long before they were involved with the 1970s Watergate scandal.
One of his reporters, Hal Hendrix, known as "the spook" at The Miami News, broke the story about the alleged coup d'état against Juan Bosch of the Dominican Republic, the day before it happened.
Others in this group included Ralph McGill at The Atlanta Constitution, Hodding Carter at the Greenville Delta Democrat-Times, and Harry Ashmore at the Arkansas Gazette.
He was often criticized for his support of civil rights, opposition to the Vietnam War, and promotion of social welfare programs for the elderly, the infirm and the disadvantaged in South Florida and throughout the nation.
Baggs supported early pioneering conservation efforts to rescue the southeast section of Key Biscayne from overdevelopment by real estate developers.