Walker spent all or parts of eight seasons in the American League before becoming The People's Cherce in Brooklyn. The lefthanded hitter was purchased by the Yankees off the Greenville (South Atlantic League) roster for a then-record $25,000 in 1930. Though he was highly regarded, he remained in their rich farm system until 1933. He suffered a severe setback when he tore some shoulder muscles, and in 1936 he was waived to the White Sox. He batted .302 and tied for the AL lead with 16 triples in 1937, yet was traded to Detroit. He continued to hit more than .300 but showed little power, and his shoulder problems persisted. After tearing up his knee in 1939, he was placed on waivers and was snatched up by Brooklyn GM Larry MacPhail.

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Walker led the 1940 Dodgers in batting (.308) and doubles (37). The likable, 6'1" blond quickly became a favorite of the Brooklyn fans, especially for his heroics against the hated Giants; he batted .436 against New York in 1940. Nevertheless, manager Leo Durocher opened the 1941 campaign with the newly acquired Paul Waner in Walker's outfield spot. Brooklyn fans were outraged. The 38-year-old Waner had won the job in spring training but faded fast and was traded. Walker became part of an all-.300-hitting outfield (with Pete Reiser and Joe Medwick) that led Brooklyn to the 1941 NL pennant. For the next six years, he was a fixture in Brooklyn's right field. He led the NL with a .357 batting average in 1944 and won the 1945 RBI title with 124.

When Jackie Robinson broke the color line with Brooklyn in 1947, Walker, a native of Georgia, initially resisted the idea. But he was soon defending Robinson and giving him pointers. Following that pennant-winning season, in what turned out to be one of the best trades in Brooklyn history, Walker was sent to the Pirates in a six-player deal for pitcher Preacher Roe and third baseman Billy Cox. In 1948 Walker topped the .300 mark for the tenth time in 12 seasons, helping the Pirates to improve by 21 games, from last place to fourth. However, at age thirty-eight in 1949, he played in just 88 contests, led the NL with 13 pinch hits, and left the majors.

Walker managed in the minors for most of the 1950s, coached for the Cardinals, and coached and scouted for the Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Dixie's brother, Harry Walker, was the 1947 NL batting champ. Their father, Ewart "Dixie" Walker, pitched for the 1909-12 Senators, and their uncle, Ernie Walker, played for the 1913-15 Browns. (ME)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 3, 1936: Playing LF, Joe DiMaggio makes his regular-season debut with the Yankees and has three hits, one a triple, as New York routs St. Louis 14–5. Joe scores three runs and knocks in one. Gehrig and Ben Chapman each collect four hits. New York will win five of their next six games with DiMag in the lineup. To make room, the Yankees waive OF Dixie Walker, hitting .350, to the White Sox. » December 2, 1937: At the minor league meeting in Milwaukee, the Tigers trade popular OF Gee Walker, 3B Marv Owen, and young C Mike Tresh to the White Sox for Vern Kennedy, Tony Piet, and Dixie Walker. The trade causes an uproar with Tiger fans, and owner Walter Briggs issues an announcement from his Miami home that "the deal was made with my approval." Kennedy will start the 1938 season with nine straight wins, but ends up the year at 12–9. » May 31, 1942: In Game One of a twinbill sweep at Brooklyn, Dixie Walker of the Dodgers is credited with an inside-the-park grand slam as the Braves aging Paul Waner searches for the ball under the bullpen bench. Walker follows Pee Wee Reese, Pete Reiser, and Arky Vaughan over the plate. The Dodgers win, 10–2. Brooklyn wins the nitecap, 3–1, behind Whit Wyatt's 10th straight win over Boston. » November 23, 1944: Five groups totaling 23 players, managers, umpires, and writers visit war theaters as part of the USO program. Included are Mel Ott, Dutch Leonard, Frankie Frisch, Bucky Walters, Harry Heilmann, Carl Hubbell, Freddie Fitzsimmons, Bill Summers, Beans Reardon, Johnny Lindell, Tuck Stainback, Steve O'Neill, Leo Durocher, Joe Medwick, Nick Etten, Dixie Walker, Paul Waner, and Rip Sewell. » December 21, 1944: National League averages show Brooklyn's Dixie Walker at the top of the hitters with a .357 mark, ahead of Stan Musial at .347. In an even closer vote than occurred in the American League, the NL MVP award goes to fielding wizard Marty Marion, who tallies one more vote than Cubs slugger Bill Nicholson (189). The Cardinals erred only 112 times and averaged .982, both better than previous records held by the 1940 Reds. Marion is the 3rd different Cardinal in three years to win the honor. » May 23, 1946: Police sit along the dugouts of both clubs at Ebbets Field after yesterday's brawl but that doesn't stop a pregame fight between the Dodgers Dixie Walker and the Cubs Lenny Merullo. The first place Dodgers again win, 2–1, in 11 innings. The pregame fight will cost five players $650, plus suspensions for Walker, Merullo and Cubs coach Red Smith. Augie Galan gets tossed in the 4th and Leo Durocher in the 9th. » May 30, 1946: In a play that anticipates a scene in The Natural by Brooklyn-native Bernard Malamud, the Braves' Bama Rowell smashes a double in the 7-run 2nd inning of the second game of a doubleheader at Ebbets Field. The ball shatters the Bulova clock high atop the right-field scoreboard at 4:25 P.M., showering glass down on the Dodgers' RF Dixie Walker. An hour later the clock stops. The Braves win 10–8 after being shut out 5–0 by Kirby Higbe in the opener. » May 27, 1947: Before 51,780 fans at the Polo Grounds, the Dodgers defeat the Giants, 7–3. Da Bums score in the first inning when a Dixie Walker single drives home Jackie Robinson. » December 8, 1947: In a move that will anchor The Boys of Summer, Brooklyn acquires SS Billy Cox, P Preacher Roe, and infielder Gene Mauch from Pittsburgh for pitchers Vic Lombardi, Hal Gregg, and former batting champ, 37-year-old Dixie Walker. In the spring Walker had requested in writing to be traded, but then changed his mind.