Fred James Walters (September 4, 1912 – February 1, 1980) was a backup catcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the 1945 season. Listed at 6 feet (1.8 m) and 210 pounds (95 kg)—and nicknamed "Whale"—Walters batted and threw right-handed. He was signed by the Red Sox in 1937 out of Mississippi State University.
| Fred Walters | |
|---|---|
| Catcher | |
| Born: September 4, 1912 Laurel, Mississippi | |
| Died: February 1, 1980 (aged 67) Laurel, Mississippi | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 17, 1945, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 9, 1945, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .172 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 5 |
| Teams | |
A native of Laurel, Mississippi, Walters was one of many players who only appeared in the majors during World War II. He was a .172 hitter (16-for-93) with two runs, two doubles, one stolen base, and five RBI without home runs in 40 games. In 38 catching appearances he posted a .993 fielding percentage (one error in 144 chances). His professional playing career extended for 11 seasons (1938–42; 1944–49). In June 1946, he abruptly became the player-manager of the Triple-A Louisville Colonels during the six-week suspension of skipper Nemo Leibold and led the squad to a sparkling 34–12 record.[1] The following season, he piloted the Double-A Birmingham Barons to the Southern Association championship.
Walters left baseball after the 1950 season, which he spent as manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts, eventually became a sheriff in Mississippi,.[1] and died in his hometown of Laurel at the age of 67.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Nowlin, Bill. "Fred Walters". Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
External links
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