Books and articles about Walker Cooper

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"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. (TJ)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 25, 1940: Walker Cooper, recently called up from Columbus (AA), and Mort Cooper, pitching in relief, make up a brother battery in the Cards, 4-3 win over the Reds. » May 18, 1941: The Cards rally to beat the Phils, 6–5, but they lose rookie C Walker Cooper who fractures a scapula bone and dislocates a collar bone. Cooper is bowled over by Hal Marnie, who scores in the 5th. » May 20, 1942: Brooklyn's Whit Wyatt loses 1–0 to the Cards Mort Cooper, the first loss for Wyatt after eight straight wins. Cooper allows just two hits. The Cards score on Walker Cooper's triple and a fly ball in the 5th. » August 25, 1942: The largest night crowd in St. Louis history, watch two aces deal, the Dodger Whit Wyatt and the Cardinals Mort Cooper, go scoreless for 12 innings. Both teams score in the 13th, and the Cards win it in the 14th, 2–1, on Walker Cooper's solo shot. The win by Mort Cooper cuts the Dodgers lead over St. Louis to five 1/2 games. » September 18, 1943: The Cardinals clinch the NL pennant. Howie Pollet, Max Lanier, and Mort Cooper will rank 1-2-3 in NL ERA, and Al Brazle at 1.53 and Harry Brecheen at 2.27 are near the same level. For hitting, Redbirds prime with George Kurowski, Walker Cooper, and Stan Musial, who in his 2nd season hits .357 and has 220 hits, 347 total bases, 48 doubles, 20 triples. » May 6, 1945: Phils P Ken Raffensberger is inducted into the Navy, while Card C Walker Cooper joined the Navy on May 1. » January 5, 1946: Catcher Walker Cooper goes to the Giants. The sale by the Cardinals for $175,000 is the highest cash deal ever. The Joe Cronin transaction in 1934 and the Dizzy Dean sale in 1938 were larger deals but also involved other players. Cooper was considered the best catcher in the game before his 1945 induction into the Navy following a salary dispute with the team. » June 28, 1947: Walker Cooper of the Giants hits a HR in his sixth consecutive game to tie a record set by George Kelly in 1924. Cooper had two HRs in the first game of the streak, and his shot today helps his brother Mort win 14-6 over the Phils. » July 31, 1947: The Giants lose 8-7 but hit their 55th HR of the month, an NL record. Walker Cooper connects against the Reds. » July 29, 1948: The Giants win their 3rd straight shutout, stopping the Reds, 5–0, behind Dave Koslo. Jansen and Hartung threw the other two shutouts. Walker Cooper's grand slam, off Ken Raffensberger, is the big blow. » June 13, 1949: The Giants trade C Walker Cooper to Cincinnati for Ray Mueller. » July 6, 1949: The Reds Walker Cooper, acquired on June 13th from the Giants, collects six hits in seven at bats, including 3 HRs, and scores 5 times. » May 10, 1950: The Reds trade veteran C Walker Cooper to the Braves for 2B Connie Ryan. » May 18, 1951: Catcher Walker Cooper of the Braves goes 5-for-5 in a 12–3 route of the Pirates. Max Surkont (5–1) is the winner, scattering 10 hits and giving up late inning home runs to Ralph Kiner and Wally Westlake. » July 6, 1951: At the Polo Grounds, the Braves smack two HRs (Willard Marshall and Walker Cooper) in the top of the third, only to have the Giants answer with three HRs—by Westrum, Thomson, and Mueller—in the bottom of the inning. The Giants outslug the Braves for the game 12–10. » December 5, 1955: The Cardinals buy 41-year-old Ellis Kinder from the Bosox. He will team up with the like-aged Walker Cooper to form just the second 40+ battery. Curt Davis and Clyde Sukeforth, in 1945, are the other duo. » December 15, 1955: The Cards sign C Walker Cooper who started his career with St. Louis in 1940.