Back in the summer of 1992, I had the pleasure of playing in the Pittsburgh Pirates Alumni Golf Outing (Blue Cross was and remains to this day a sponsor of that event). Each foursome included a Pirates alumnus, or someone related the the Pirates organization. Now at such an event, the Senior VP's and other assorted officers of the Blues get paired up with guys like Bill Mazeroski or Steve Blass or Jim Leyland. I was paired up and rode in the cart with Tom Walker.
Mr. Walker was a very nice guy, but I had never heard of him, and in what I hope was a diplomatic manner, asked him what his connection to the Pirates was. He told me that he had a brief career, mostly with the Tigers and the Expos, and at the end of his career, he went to spring training with the Bucs, didn't make the team and then retired from baseball. Since he lived in the area, he maintained a relationship with the Pirates Alumni group to keep his hand in his former life. I found him to be a very nice guy, very modest and unassuming, and it was a really nice afternoon on the course with him. He also didn't mention and had no real reason to mention that he had a son named Neil who in that summer was probably just graduating from Tee Ball to Coaches Pitch baseball.
Years later, through my association with SABR, I was astonished to learn that Tom Walker once pitched a 15 inning no-hitter in the minor leagues. He never mentioned THAT during our round that day. Me, well if I had once pitched a 15 no-hitter, at any level, I would have had "I once pitched a 15 inning no-hitter" embroidered on all my clothes. I said that he was modest and unassuming.
In 2004 Tom's son Neil of Pine-Richland High School was the first round draft pick of the Pirates, and he went on to fashion a terrific 12 year career with the Pirates and four other teams, and now works for the Pirates as broadcaster and general baseball ambassador in the region. Around the time that Neil was drafted, we learned, or at least I learned, that while playing winter ball in Puerto Rico in 1972, Tom helped load the plane with relief supplies that Roberto Clemente was to deliver to Nicaragua and was planning on riding with him to deliver them that New Year's Eve day in 1972. Clemente told him to skip it and spend the holiday with his family. We all know what happened then.
One time, around 2008 or 2009, I had the opportunity to meet one of Tom's other sons (I'll spare you the circumstances, and they don't really matter anyway). Once I realized who he was, instead of asking about his now very well known brother, I told him the story of "I once played 18 holes of golf with your dad!" He got a kick out of it. Earlier this year, I got the chance to meet Neil Walker, and I told him the same story, and Neil loved it. At that time, I didn't know that his dad was battling cancer, a battle that ended yesterday.
Usually when you hear of the passing of such folks, you feel bad, of course, but the passing of Tom Walker hit me deeper than just that.
RIP Tom Walker and peace to all of the Walker family.
Father and Son
Six seasons
Tigers, Expos, Cardinals, Angels
191 games
18-23
3.87 ERA
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