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Walker was with the Dodgers for their 1951 NL playoff with the Giants, having been traded by the Cubs that June. Dodger catcher Roy Campanella had injured his thigh, and despite his assertions he could play, manager Charley Dressen had Walker replace him for the second playoff game. Walker caught Clem Labine's shutout and hit a two-run homer. He also caught the final game and was behind the plate when pitcher Ralph Branca served up Bobby Thomson's famed "Shot Heard 'Round the World."

The soft-spoken Walker managed in the minors and became a low-key, patient pitching coach. After stints with the Dodgers and Senators, he coached Met pitchers for 14 years, beginning in 1968. When Joe Torre was fired as New York's manager in 1981, Walker accompanied him to Atlanta. (NLM)