Intro

Originally a third baseman with a strong arm, Bucky Walters converted to a pitcher in his fifth big league season. Unfortunately, he got that chance with baseball’s worst team, the Philadelphia Phillies. After a 38-53 record with the Phils (despite an ERA just a half-run above league average), Walters was traded to the Reds. With Cincinnati, the lean, side arming right-hander flourished, winning twenty games three times and at least 15 for six consecutive seasons. His post-season performance was night and day between 1939 and 1940. He lost both his starts in the ’39 Fall Classic, but twirled a pair of complete game victories the next Fall in the World Series win over the Tigers. Walters was one of the best-hitting pitchers in baseball during his time. Pitcher Bucky Walters, a former third baseman, had 11 three-hit games and one four-hit game during his pitching career.