Books and articles about Tilly Walker

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Walker was a powerful hitter and a strong-armed outfielder - one of the dead-ball era's best. He led the AL in assists four times. Playing for the Athletics in 1918, he hit 11 HR to share the league lead with Babe Ruth. He continued as one of the game's leading home run hitters through 1922, when he hit a career-high 37. But in 1923 Athletics manager Connie Mack, stating that long-ball hitting was a fad, announced that he would stress speed and defense in the upcoming season. The Shibe Park fences were moved out, cutting home runs by 63%, and Walker was benched. He then spent six years in the minors. He was an umpire in the Appalachian League in 1938-39 and a manager in 1940. (LRD)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 8, 1916: Tris Speaker is still a holdout as a reaction to Boston owner Joseph Lannin's proposal to cut his salary from $11,000 to $9,000. Speaker wants $15,000. The Red Sox, in anticipation of resolving the contract dispute by trading Speaker, purchase the hard-throwing OF Tilly Walker from the Browns. » June 20, 1916: Tilly Walker's home run over the LF wall is the only home run the Red Sox will hit at Fenway this season, but it is the lone Boston score today as the Yankees win, 4–1. Inserted as a defensive replacement late in the game, Boston SS Everett Scott starts a string of 1,307 consecutive games, all played at SS. He will complete the streak as a Yankee on May 6, 1925. It will be the best until Gehrig's 2,130. » July 15, 1916: The Red Sox play their 4th doubleheader in six days, losing the opener, 2–1 to the Browns. Tilly Walker's RBI double in the 8th gives Boston its first score in 28 innings. Boston breaks out in game two, pounding four Brownie pitchers for 18 hits to win, 17–4. Babe Ruth picks up the win, leaving after six innings. » September 30, 1916: Red Sox CF Tilly Walker, imitating Tris Speaker, his predecessor, dashes in for a low line drive and beats the runner back to 2B for an unassisted DP. It is an important play, as Dutch Leonard defeats Nick Cullop of the Yankees 1–0 in the 10th on Harry Hooper's sacrifice fly. The win clinches a tie for the pennant for Boston. Cleveland will beat Chicago tomorrow to give the flag to Boston. » April 11, 1917: In pregame drills before the Yankees Opening Day at the Polo Grounds, the Yankees impress General Leonard Wood by marching in drills. The Sox, having not practiced, decline, but then drill New York 10–3 in the game. Boston breaks a 3-3 tie with four runs in the 7th, three coming home on round tripper by Dick Hoblitzell. Tilly Walker adds a double, two triples and four RBIs for Boston, while Babe Ruth allows just three hits, all singles, in beating Ray Caldwell. » January 10, 1918: Connie Mack alarms Philadelphia by dealing Stuffy McInnis, the last player in his $100,000 infield, to Boston for players to be announced. The furor dies down when Mack announces he has received 3B Larry Gardner, OF Clarence "Tilly" Walker, and C Hick Cady. » May 2, 1922: With two outs, Washington's George Mogridge serves up consecutive home runs to three Philadelphia batters—Tilly Walker, Cy Perkins, and Bing Miller. It has been done twice before: June 30, 1902 and May 10, 1894. The A's win, 11–2, behind Bob Hasty. » July 2, 1922: A's OF Tilly Walker hits two home runs, giving him four in two days, as the A's lose to New York 9–3. He will finish with 37 for the year, two ahead of Babe Ruth. The Athletics, with the American League's winningest pitcher in Eddie Rommel (27-13) and losingest in Slim Harriss (9-20) will lead the AL with 114 home runs and climb out of the cellar.