Luke Walker: Difference between revisions
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'''James Luke Walker''' (born September 2, 1943 in [[DeKalb, Texas]]) is a former [[pitcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who played between {{ |
'''James Luke Walker''' (born September 2, 1943 in [[DeKalb, Texas]]) is a former [[pitcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who played between {{Baseball year|1965}} and {{Baseball year|1974}} for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1965–66, 1968–73) and [[Detroit Tigers]] (1974). He batted and threw left-handed.<ref name="MLB">{{cite web|title=Luke Walker: Career Stats – Pitching|publisher=Major League Baseball|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=123827&c_id=pit|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> |
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Walker did almost everything a pitcher is asked to do. He [[starting pitcher|started]] and filled various [[relief pitcher|relief]] roles coming out from the [[bullpen]] as a [[closer (baseball)|closer]], [[middle relief pitcher|middle reliever]], and [[setup pitcher|set-up man]] as well. His most productive season statistically came in 1970 with Pittsburgh, when he finished 15–6<ref name="MLB"/> (3–1, three [[save (sport)|saves]] in relief), while his 3.04 [[earned run average|ERA]], .714 [[winning percentage]], and 7.1 [[hits per nine innings]] all ranked him third among [[National League]] pitchers. He also fired a pair of two-hit [[shutout]]s. That year, the Pirates won the [[National League East]] title for their first post-season |
Walker did almost everything a pitcher is asked to do. He [[starting pitcher|started]] and filled various [[relief pitcher|relief]] roles coming out from the [[bullpen]] as a [[closer (baseball)|closer]], [[middle relief pitcher|middle reliever]], and [[setup pitcher|set-up man]] as well. His most productive season statistically came in 1970 with Pittsburgh, when he finished 15–6<ref name="MLB"/> (3–1, three [[save (sport)|saves]] in relief), while his 3.04 [[earned run average|ERA]], .714 [[winning percentage]], and 7.1 [[hits per nine innings]] all ranked him third among [[National League]] pitchers. He also fired a pair of two-hit [[shutout]]s. That year, the Pirates won the [[National League East]] title for their first post-season berth since winning the [[1960 World Series]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Couch|first=Dick|title=Murtaugh, Pirates Clinch East Sunday After 10-Year Layoff|work=Warsaw Times-Union|agency=Associated Press|date=1970-09-28|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_RpHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LnsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5407,3832885|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> However, they were swept by the [[Cincinnati Reds]] in the [[1970 National League Championship Series|NLCS]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Big Red Machine Rolls On; Baltimore Is Last Obstacle|work=The Milwaukee Journal|date=1970-10-06|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=20YaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RygEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3339,3107252|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> Walker was the losing pitcher in Game Two, giving up two runs (one unearned) in seven innings in a 3–1 Reds victory. [[Bobby Tolan]] scored all three Reds runs, including a home run off Walker in the fifth inning.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tolan Does It All for Reds, 3–1|work=The Milwaukee Sentinel|agency=Associated Press|date=1970-10-05|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WqhRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4977,831978|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> |
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In 1971, Walker went 10–8 with a 3.55 ERA for the [[1971 World Series]] champion Pirates.<ref name="MLB"/><ref>{{cite journal|last=Leggett|first=William|title=Some Kind of a Comeback|journal=Sports Illustrated|date=1971-10-25|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/wsarchive/1971.html|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> On July 18 of that year, in the second game of a [[doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] against the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] at [[Three Rivers Stadium]], he had a [[no-hitter]] broken up by a [[Joe Ferguson (baseball)|Joe Ferguson]] home run (the first of Ferguson's Major League career) with no outs in the ninth. The hit was the only one he would allow in a 7–1 Pittsburgh victory.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stellino|first=Vito|title=Luke Walker Still Spot Starter|work=The Bonham Daily Favorite|agency=United Press International|date=1971-07-19|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8AhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YU0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=6908,2710462|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> In Game Four of that year's World Series, which the Pirates won in seven games over the [[Baltimore Orioles]], Walker threw the first pitch in a [[night game]] in World Series history. His outing was brief: [[Paul Blair (baseball)|Paul Blair]], [[Mark Belanger]] and [[Merv Rettenmund]] began the game with consecutive singles off Walker to load the bases. After Blair scored on a [[passed ball]], Walker intentionally walked [[Frank Robinson]] to re-load the bases. He was then pulled after giving up consecutive sacrifice flies to [[Brooks Robinson]] and [[Boog Powell]] for a 3–0 Baltimore lead. Walker was then taken out of the game.<ref>{{cite news|last=Durso|first=Joseph|title=Rookies spark Pirates' return|work=The Calgary Herald|agency=''The New York Times''|date=1971-10-14|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OYZkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9H8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1148,5446794|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> The Pirates later scored two runs in the bottom of the first, the tying run in the third, and the go-ahead run (the game ended by that 4–3 score) in the seventh, and [[Bruce Kison]] threw 6{{fraction|1|3}} scoreless innings in relief of Walker. The Orioles got only one hit after Walker's departure, a Blair double off Kison in the second.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pirates even series, top Birds|work=Star-News|agency=United Press International|date=1971-10-14|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=56lOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tQkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7125,2572909|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> |
In 1971, Walker went 10–8 with a 3.55 ERA for the [[1971 World Series]] champion Pirates.<ref name="MLB"/><ref>{{cite journal|last=Leggett|first=William|title=Some Kind of a Comeback|journal=Sports Illustrated|date=1971-10-25|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/wsarchive/1971.html|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> On July 18 of that year, in the second game of a [[doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] against the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] at [[Three Rivers Stadium]], he had a [[no-hitter]] broken up by a [[Joe Ferguson (baseball)|Joe Ferguson]] home run (the first of Ferguson's Major League career) with no outs in the ninth. The hit was the only one he would allow in a 7–1 Pittsburgh victory.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stellino|first=Vito|title=Luke Walker Still Spot Starter|work=The Bonham Daily Favorite|agency=United Press International|date=1971-07-19|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8AhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YU0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=6908,2710462|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> In Game Four of that year's World Series, which the Pirates won in seven games over the [[Baltimore Orioles]], Walker threw the first pitch in a [[night game]] in World Series history. His outing was brief: [[Paul Blair (baseball)|Paul Blair]], [[Mark Belanger]] and [[Merv Rettenmund]] began the game with consecutive singles off Walker to load the bases. After Blair scored on a [[passed ball]], Walker intentionally walked [[Frank Robinson]] to re-load the bases. He was then pulled after giving up consecutive sacrifice flies to [[Brooks Robinson]] and [[Boog Powell]] for a 3–0 Baltimore lead. Walker was then taken out of the game.<ref>{{cite news|last=Durso|first=Joseph|title=Rookies spark Pirates' return|work=The Calgary Herald|agency=''The New York Times''|date=1971-10-14|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OYZkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9H8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1148,5446794|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> The Pirates later scored two runs in the bottom of the first, the tying run in the third, and the go-ahead run (the game ended by that 4–3 score) in the seventh, and [[Bruce Kison]] threw 6{{fraction|1|3}} scoreless innings in relief of Walker. The Orioles got only one hit after Walker's departure, a Blair double off Kison in the second.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pirates even series, top Birds|work=Star-News|agency=United Press International|date=1971-10-14|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=56lOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tQkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7125,2572909|accessdate=2011-05-04}}</ref> |
Revision as of 07:02, 19 October 2016
Luke Walker | |
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Pitcher | |
Born: DeKalb, Texas | September 2, 1943|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
September 7, 1965, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 1, 1974, for the Detroit Tigers | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 45–47 |
Earned run average | 3.65 |
Strikeouts | 558 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
James Luke Walker (born September 2, 1943 in DeKalb, Texas) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played between 1965 and 1974 for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1965–66, 1968–73) and Detroit Tigers (1974). He batted and threw left-handed.[1]
Walker did almost everything a pitcher is asked to do. He started and filled various relief roles coming out from the bullpen as a closer, middle reliever, and set-up man as well. His most productive season statistically came in 1970 with Pittsburgh, when he finished 15–6[1] (3–1, three saves in relief), while his 3.04 ERA, .714 winning percentage, and 7.1 hits per nine innings all ranked him third among National League pitchers. He also fired a pair of two-hit shutouts. That year, the Pirates won the National League East title for their first post-season berth since winning the 1960 World Series.[2] However, they were swept by the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS.[3] Walker was the losing pitcher in Game Two, giving up two runs (one unearned) in seven innings in a 3–1 Reds victory. Bobby Tolan scored all three Reds runs, including a home run off Walker in the fifth inning.[4]
In 1971, Walker went 10–8 with a 3.55 ERA for the 1971 World Series champion Pirates.[1][5] On July 18 of that year, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Three Rivers Stadium, he had a no-hitter broken up by a Joe Ferguson home run (the first of Ferguson's Major League career) with no outs in the ninth. The hit was the only one he would allow in a 7–1 Pittsburgh victory.[6] In Game Four of that year's World Series, which the Pirates won in seven games over the Baltimore Orioles, Walker threw the first pitch in a night game in World Series history. His outing was brief: Paul Blair, Mark Belanger and Merv Rettenmund began the game with consecutive singles off Walker to load the bases. After Blair scored on a passed ball, Walker intentionally walked Frank Robinson to re-load the bases. He was then pulled after giving up consecutive sacrifice flies to Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell for a 3–0 Baltimore lead. Walker was then taken out of the game.[7] The Pirates later scored two runs in the bottom of the first, the tying run in the third, and the go-ahead run (the game ended by that 4–3 score) in the seventh, and Bruce Kison threw 61⁄3 scoreless innings in relief of Walker. The Orioles got only one hit after Walker's departure, a Blair double off Kison in the second.[8]
In a nine-season career, Walker posted a 45–47 record with a 3.65 ERA and 558 strikeouts in 243 appearances, including 100 starts, 16 complete games, seven shutouts, nine saves, and 8242⁄3 innings pitched.[1] He was also a weak batsman, garnering only 11 hits in 188 at-bats for an .059 batting average.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d "Luke Walker: Career Stats – Pitching". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ Couch, Dick (1970-09-28). "Murtaugh, Pirates Clinch East Sunday After 10-Year Layoff". Warsaw Times-Union. Associated Press. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ "Big Red Machine Rolls On; Baltimore Is Last Obstacle". The Milwaukee Journal. 1970-10-06. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ "Tolan Does It All for Reds, 3–1". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 1970-10-05. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ Leggett, William (1971-10-25). "Some Kind of a Comeback". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ Stellino, Vito (1971-07-19). "Luke Walker Still Spot Starter". The Bonham Daily Favorite. United Press International. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ Durso, Joseph (1971-10-14). "Rookies spark Pirates' return". The Calgary Herald. The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ "Pirates even series, top Birds". Star-News. United Press International. 1971-10-14. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ "Luke Walker: Career Stats – Batting". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Baseball Library
- Retrosheet
- Lost in the Ninth: No-Hitters Broken Up in the Ninth Inning Since 1961