Tom Walker (1970s pitcher)

Tom Walker
Pitcher
Born: (1948-11-07)November 7, 1948
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Died: October 23, 2023(2023-10-23) (aged 74)
Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 23, 1972, for the Montreal Expos
Last MLB appearance
July 23, 1977, for the California Angels
MLB statistics
Win–loss record18–23
Earned run average3.87
Strikeouts262
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Robert Thomas Walker (November 7, 1948 – October 23, 2023) was an American professional baseball pitcher. Walker pitched all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1972 until 1977, for the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals and California Angels.[1] A right-hander, he stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 188 pounds (85 kg).

Career

After graduating from George D. Chamberlain High School in his native Tampa in 1966,[2] Walker was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1968 January amateur draft.[1][3] On August 4, 1971, while playing for the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs in the Double-A Dixie Association, Walker threw a 15-inning no-hitter to beat the Albuquerque Dodgers 1–0. He threw 193 pitches to win the game.[1][3][4] In 1972, Walker was selected by the Montreal Expos in the Rule 5 draft and made his major league debut that season.[4] He was traded along with Terry Humphrey from the Expos to the Tigers for Woodie Fryman on December 4, 1974.[5] The last batter he faced in the majors, Lyman Bostock, lined into a triple play.[6] Walker posted an 18–23 record in 191 major league appearances over six seasons.[4]

Brush with death

In 1972, while playing winter ball in Puerto Rico, Walker and several other players helped Roberto Clemente load a plane carrying relief supplies to survivors of the Nicaragua earthquake after Christmas. He offered to accompany Clemente on the trip to the Central American nation, but the plane was full and Clemente told him to stay behind and enjoy his New Year's Eve. A few hours later, Walker returned to his condo and saw the news reports that Clemente's plane had crashed off the coast of Isla Verde, Puerto Rico.[1] There were no survivors.

Personal life

Walker and his wife, Carolyn, lived in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.[7] Their son, Neil, is a former MLB player who retired in 2021.[1][8] Another son, Matt, played in the minor leagues as an outfielder in the Tigers' and Orioles' systems, while another son, Sean, pitched for George Mason University. Tom was also the brother-in-law of former Montreal Expos pitcher Chip Lang. Meanwhile, Don Kelly, a former Tigers outfielder, married Walker's daughter Carrie, a former professional basketball player, in 2007.

In July 2015, Walker was elected to the Texas League Hall of Fame.[3]

Walker died in Gibsonia from pancreatic cancer on October 23, 2023, at age 74.[7][9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Singer, Tom (January 3, 2013). "Living legacy: Walker carries spirit of Clemente; Father of Bucs infielder nearly took fateful plane trip that claimed life of legend". Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  2. ^ Chamberlain High School Totem Yearbook (Volume 9 ed.). Tampa, Florida: Bryn Alan. 1966. p. 241.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. ^ a b c "Class of 2015: Eight Elected to the Texas League Hall of Fame". Texas League. Minor League Baseball. July 1, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Tom Kayser; David King (August 31, 2012). "45". Baseball in the Lone Star State: The Texas League's Greatest Hits. Trinity University Press. pp. 162–164. ISBN 978-1-59534-119-8. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  5. ^ Durso, Joseph. "Orioles Send McNally to Expos; Allen Balks at Trade to Braves," The New York Times, Thursday, December 5, 1974. Retrieved May 3, 2020
  6. ^ "Angels Turn Triple Play". Lakeland Ledger. Bloomington, Minnesota. Associated Press. July 24, 1977. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Cook, Ron (October 25, 2023). "Neil Walker on his recently passed father, Tom: 'He really lived an incredible life'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  8. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates' Second Baseman on the Gift of Life"
  9. ^ "Tom Walker Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved October 27, 2023.

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