Walter Lee Gibbons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Walter Lee Gibbons |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 13, 1928 Tampa, Florida |
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| Died: July 24, 2015 (aged 86) Tampa, Florida |
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Walter Lee Gibbons (born October 13, 1928 – died July 24, 2015) was a talented American baseball pitcher. He played in the Negro Leagues and later in the Minor Leagues. Gibbons was 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds. He batted left-handed but threw the ball with his right hand. He was born in Tampa, Florida.
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Walter Lee Gibbons' Baseball Journey
Early Life and Baseball
Walter Gibbons had two nicknames: 'Dirk' and 'Bubblegum'. He grew up in the Historic Ybor City District in Tampa. He started playing baseball when he was only eight years old. His first team was the Pepsi Cola Juniors.
As a teenager, he played for other teams in Florida. These included the Pepsi-Cola Giants and the Tampa Rockets. Both teams were part of the Florida State Negro League.
Playing in the Negro Leagues
After finishing high school in Tampa, Gibbons got a chance to play in the Negro National League in 1941. He played for two teams that year: the Philadelphia Stars and the New York Black Yankees. He pitched only one inning and lost his only game.
Later, Gibbons pitched for the Indianapolis Clowns from 1948 to 1949. However, his biggest successes in baseball did not happen in Florida or the Negro Leagues. They came when the Clowns sold him to a team in Canada.
Success in Canada
Gibbons moved to Canada and joined the Brandon Greys team. He played for them from 1949 to 1950. In his first year, he was one of the best pitchers in the league. Famous players like Leon Day and Satchel Paige also played in that league.
Gibbons won 19 games and lost only 5. He struck out 229 batters in 198 innings pitched. He finished 20 of his 23 games, meaning he pitched the whole game. He led his team in wins and the league in strikeouts. He even won 12 games in a row at one point. He also pitched two games where the other team got only one hit.
In 1950, he had a record of 8 wins and 4 losses in a shorter season. He completed 11 of his 12 starts. He finished second in the league for both wins and complete games. After playing an exhibition game against the Jackie Robinson All-Stars, he joined the military. He served during the Korean War.
Return to Baseball
After leaving the military, Gibbons returned to the Mandak League. He played for five more years. He played for the Brandon Greys again in 1954. He also played for the Winnipeg Royals in 1953 and the Minot Mallards from 1955 to 1957. In total, he had 60 wins and 50 losses during his seven years in the league.
Life After Baseball
After his baseball career, Gibbons went back to Florida. He managed a night club for 20 years. Later, he worked as a supervisor at the training center for the University of Tampa. This center was used by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL team.
In his free time, he loved watching the Tampa Bay Rays play baseball at Tropicana Field. He even got a standing ovation when he threw out the first pitch at one of their home games.
Awards and Honors
Walter Gibbons received many awards and honors. In 2006, he was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 2008, Major League Baseball held a special draft. This was to honor surviving Negro League players who could not play in the Big Leagues because of their race. Each MLB team chose a former Negro League player. The Tampa Bay Rays selected Walter Gibbons.
In 2015, the City of Tampa honored him. This was part of their Annual Black History Month Celebration.
Gibbons passed away in 2015 in his hometown of Tampa Bay, Florida. He was 86 years old.
