Wally Bunker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wally Bunker |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: January 25, 1945 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 29, 1963, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 26, 1971, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 60–52 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.51 | ||
| Strikeouts | 569 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Wally Bunker is a former American baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. Wally was a right-handed pitcher. He played for the Baltimore Orioles from 1963 to 1968. Later, he played for the Kansas City Royals from 1969 to 1971.
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Wally's Early Life and Sports
Wally Bunker loved sports from a young age. He played for the Capuchino High School baseball team. This was in San Bruno, California, in 1962 and 1963. His team won the league championships. Wally also played on the school's basketball team.
The Baltimore Orioles baseball team thought Wally was a top young pitcher. They signed him to play professional baseball.
Wally's Professional Baseball Career
Wally Bunker played for two Major League Baseball teams. He started with the Baltimore Orioles. Then he moved to the Kansas City Royals.
Playing for the Baltimore Orioles
A Great Start in 1964
In 1964, Wally Bunker was only 19 years old. He had an amazing start to his career. He won his first six games as a pitcher. One of his first wins was a 2–1 game against the Washington Senators. He only allowed one hit in that game.
Wally became a key pitcher for the Orioles. He finished the 1964 season with 19 wins and only 5 losses. This was a record for a rookie pitcher on the Orioles. His earned-run average (ERA) was 2.69, which is very good. He won an award called The Sporting News American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year.
The Orioles almost won their league in 1964. They finished in third place, just behind the New York Yankees. Wally became very popular in Baltimore. The mayor even called the pitcher's mound "Baltimore's Bunker Hill."
Later Years with the Orioles
After his great rookie year, Wally had some arm problems. These injuries made it harder for him to pitch. He still played well, but not as often. In 1965, he had 10 wins and 8 losses. In 1966, he had 10 wins and 6 losses.
In 1966, the Orioles won the World Series! They beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games. Wally Bunker pitched a fantastic game in Game 3. He threw a 1–0 shutout, meaning the Dodgers scored no runs. This was part of a record-setting streak. The Orioles did not allow any runs for over 33 innings in the World Series.
Playing for the Kansas City Royals
In 1968, the Kansas City Royals picked Wally Bunker in a special draft. He became their best pitcher in 1969. He had 12 wins and 11 losses that year.
On April 8, 1969, Wally threw the very first pitch in Kansas City Royals history. The Royals won that game against the Minnesota Twins.
After 1969, Wally's arm troubles continued. He pitched his last Major League game in May 1971. He was only 26 years old.
In his career, Wally Bunker won 60 games and lost 52. He had 569 strikeouts. His earned-run average was 3.51. Wally was known for his "sinker" pitch. It was so good that famous player Mickey Mantle once said it was a pitch "you could break your back on."
Wally Bunker: Author and Illustrator
After baseball, Wally Bunker and his wife, Kathy, became artists. They are Artists in Residence at Palm Key Nature Getaway in Ridgeland, South Carolina.
They started writing and illustrating children's literature. Their books are part of the "Wal-De-Mar, Friends and Such" collection. They published two books in 2015. One book is called A Lowcountry Tale Concerning Wal-De-Mar Wiggins. It introduces a bird from South Carolina. The other book is I Am Me. In this book, the bird learns to value being himself.
Wally and Kathy now live in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Books by Wally and Kathy Bunker
- A Lowcountry Tale Concerning Wal-De-Mar Wiggins (2015)
- I Am Me (2015)
