Walker Cooper

Position: Catcher
Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right
6-3, 210lb (190cm, 95kg)
Born: January 8, 1915 in Atherton, MO us
Died: April 11, 1991  in Scottsdale, AZ
Buried: Paradise Memorial Gardens, Scottsdale, AZ
High School: William Chrisman HS (Independence, MO)
Debut: September 25, 1940 (8,958th in major league history)
vs. CIN 2 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: September 20, 1957
vs. CIN 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: William Walker Cooper
Nicknames: Walk
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject
Relatives: Brother of Mort Cooper; Father-In-Law of Don Blasingame

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1940

Pee Wee Reese
Elmer Valo
Marty Marion
Walker Cooper
Dom DiMaggio
Pete Reiser
Harry Brecheen
Harry Walker
Stan Spence

 

All-Time Teammate Team

Coming Soon

 

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Notable Events and Chronology

 

Biography

“He was just about the strongest man I’ve ever known,” said Ewell Blackwell. Enos Slaughter called him “one of the best behind the plate,” adding, “He was a great guy…very good-natured.” Walker Cooper was a 6’3″ 210-lb heavy hitter and practical joker who was named to every NL All-Star squad 1942-50 (there was no game in 1945). After three World Series with St. Louis (where he was older brother Mort’s batterymate), Walker was sold to the Giants in 1945. The Giants paid the then-princely sum of $175,000 while Cooper was still in the Navy. His best year was with the 1947 Giants, batting .305 with 122 RBI and contributing 35 of the club’s 221 homers, a NL record@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

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Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts

Played For
St. Louis Cardinals (1940-1945)
New York Giants (1946-1949)
Cincinnati Reds (1949-1950)
Boston Braves (1950-1952)
Milwaukee Braves (1953)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1954)
Chicago Cubs (1954-1955)
St. Louis Cardinals (1956-1957)

Post-Season Appearances
1942 World Series
1943 World Series
1944 World Series

Batting Feats

• • July 6, 1949: 15 Total Bases…

 

• • July 6, 1949: 10 RBI…

 

Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Cooper suffered many injuries in 1946, and was eventually shut down in mid-September and sent to a medical clinic with blood poisoning in his left leg.

All-Star Selections
1942 NL
1943 NL
1944 NL
1946 NL
1947 NL
1948 NL
1949 NL
1950 NL

 

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