Gee Walker
- Born: March 19, 1908 in Gulfport, Miss.
- Died: March 20, 1981 in Jackson, MS
- Seasons in Detroit: 7 (1931-37)
- Uniform Numbers: 6, 11
- Awards: All-Star (1937)
- Stats: .317 avg., 61 HR, 32 triples, 468 RBI, .820 OPS
Gerald Holmes “Gee” Walker debuted with the Tigers on April 14, 1931, and though he didn’t see a great deal of playing time as a rookie (59 games, 189 at bats) he made the most of his opportunities, hitting .296 with 27 doubles. The following year he was even better, hitting .323 with 32 doubles and 78 RBI.
(Quick aside: Walker’s older brother, Hub, played alongside him with the Tigers in 1931 and ’35.)
As you can see, Walker was a hitting machine for the Tigers as he matured, only hitting under .300 once after his rookie season. Near the end of his time in Detroit he began showing a power stroke and a knack for driving in runs.
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 23 | DET | AL | 59 | 189 | 56 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 28 | .296 | .345 | .423 | .768 |
| 1932 | 24 | DET | AL | 127 | 480 | 155 | 32 | 6 | 8 | 78 | .323 | .345 | .465 | .809 |
| 1933 | 25 | DET | AL | 127 | 483 | 135 | 29 | 7 | 9 | 64 | .280 | .304 | .424 | .728 |
| 1934 | 26 | DET | AL | 98 | 347 | 104 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 39 | .300 | .340 | .418 | .758 |
| 1935 | 27 | DET | AL | 98 | 362 | 109 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 53 | .301 | .329 | .453 | .782 |
| 1936 | 28 | DET | AL | 134 | 550 | 194 | 55 | 5 | 12 | 93 | .353 | .387 | .536 | .924 |
| 1937 | 29 | DET | AL | 151 | 635 | 213 | 42 | 4 | 18 | 113 | .335 | .380 | .499 | .880 |
As Walker was making his mark as a hitter, he was leaving much to be desired in the field averaging 14 errors a year in the outfield.
His time in Detroit coincided with two World Series appearances, 1934 and ’35. Against the Cardinals in October ’34, he had one hit in three at bats. The following postseason, he went one for four in three Series games against the Cubs.
Walker’s Tigers career ended on Dec. 2, 1937, when he was traded with Marv Owen and Mike Tresh to the White Sox for Vern Kennedy,
Tony Piet and Dixie Walker.
He played eight more seasons in the majors, two with the White Sox, four with the Reds, and a season with both the Senators and Indians. His major-league game was on Sept. 30, 1945.
According to Walker’s Baseball-Reference page …
Baseball Digest from August 1976 states that Walker had arthritis during his later years in baseball and after his playing days he worked in real estate in Florida and Mississippi.
He died on March 20, 1981 in Whitfield, Miss., a day after his
