Show Speaking o of Sports Sports Sports- Reformed Red t. t Il Infielder Gets League Award By ROBERT McSHANE l A A LITTLE more than four years ago go William Henry Walters Jr third baseman of the Philadelphia Phillies was persuaded to forsake his chores and try a turn on the pitchers pitcher's mound Today Bucky right-handed right sinker ball star of the Cincinnati Reds Is the National leagues league's most valuable I player an nn honor voted him by 24 t members of oC the Baseball Writers of America three from each city inthe Inthe in inthe the league Had th that t 1934 1 suggestion been made a few months earlier Bucky would have laughed it off He broke into organized baseball and climbed up to the majors as a third base base- man The Boston Braves brought him up for tor his first big league chance but he failed h Then cn the Red Sox tried him but again it was no go As a hitter he was a distinct washout Ho He was a hitter in the Pacific Coast league but he couldn't prove that In Inthe Inthe Inthe the majors The Red Sox sent him to Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia Phila Phila- delphia on waivers Still he failed to make any impression on major league pitching Johnny was holding down the third sack for the I T s 1 ff f f. f y 1 f 1 5 t 1 t 1 I Iy it I 16 s 7 j j ri t r r 1 o I II ti f y 12 j BUCKY WALTERS ALTERS Phillies and Bucky couldn't displace him Both Walters and Jimmy Wilson Wilson Wilson Wil Wil- son then manager of the team were pretty well convinced he wouldn't make the grade as a topnotch topnotch topnotch top- top notch third baseman Wilson had noticed however that Walters put more stuff on a throw from third to first than some of his so-called so pitchers So he suggested pitching At first Bucky didn't think much of oC the plan but when Wilson pointed out that there was gold to tobe tobe tobe be found in the pitchers pitcher's mound he agreed to go along with his manager The Conversion That was In 1934 Walters pitched every day in batting practice He did look pretty crude but had a fine teacher in Wilson and Wilson and also had a mind of his own Before the season was over he had responded to treatment treatment treatment treat treat- ment and had developed a good fast fastball k ball curve and sinker He lie had no won and lost record In 1931 In 1935 he won nine and lost nine with the Phillies The next season he be won 11 but lost 21 In 1937 he be scored 14 decisions while losing 15 The next year he bettered the mark winning 15 and losing losing losing los los- ing 14 14 H. j 4 Cincinnati purchased him in June of ot 1938 for and two players Catcher Virgil Davis and md Al Hol- Hol This past season his most successful by far tar saw Bucky I winning 27 games balanced against 11 losses He led the league in victories victories victories vic vic- tories in innings pitched with and in complete games with 31 He struck out men walking It H was a rapid conversion conversion he he really really really real real- ly looks like a pitcher now He has developed control and poise through experience e He is a real fielder too Fielding the pitchers pitcher's position is much the same as fielding at third and hes he's quick as a cat at shifting o of ofT l' l the mound and covering covering covering cover cover- ing up on bunts Pitcher Though hell he'll never knock the leagues league's leading hitters from their pedestal Walters needs no one to pinch hit for him Right now hes he's the hitting est pitcher in the big leagues his lethal bat adding extra extra- base hits to a large assortment of ot singles to any part of the field To show the esteem in which hucky y is held the committee of 24 2 sports writers gave gate him out of ofa ofa ofa a possible total of votes voles Ills His worth north to the Reds in winning 27 games was was' considered such an outs outstanding out out- s standing anding contribution to their success success success suc suc- cess that his nearest rival Johnny MIze I St. St Louis first baseman had only votes Walters is well liked by newspaper per men Last July after winning the first of a doubleheader from the Phils in Cincinnati Bucky observed the second game from the press coop During the game he pulled a brand new hall ball out of Its carton and almost bashfully handed it to toone toone toone one of the reporters saying Here Dere w will wU 11 you auto autograph raph thi this and th then n pass it down the line |