Judge Nagle

Walter Harold Nagle
(Lucky)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 176 lb.

• Debut April 26, 1911
• Final Game September 4, 1911
• Born March 10, 1880 in Santa Rosa, CA USA
• Died May 26, 1971 in Santa Rosa, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Judge Nagle, born in Santa Rosa, CA, was 31 by the time he reached the majors. In 1911, he pitched in both major leagues. He started with the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 4-2. He was purchased by the Boston Red Sox in June, and went 1-1 with them. In all, he pitched 54 1/3 major league innings that year. He was a teammate of Honus Wagner in Pittsburgh, and then a teammate of Tris Speaker in Boston.

He pitched in Los Angeles for years, winning 20+ games each year from 1908 to 1910.

He is the only major league player through 2009 remembered with the first name Judge. There is Judge Fuchs, but he only managed, and while there are other players with the nickname Judge, none of them have it as the name by which they are remembered. In spite of that, contemporary newspaper accounts seem to refer to him as Walter.

The book Sports Memories of Sonoma County has a photo of him in later years with Luther Burbank. The book says that he retired from baseball due to a sore arm and became a political adviser, promoter and county clerk. It doesn't mention him being a judge, although in the photo he looks very dignified and judge-like.

The SABR biography implies he got his nickname "Judge" because his father worked at a courthouse.

Related Sites

• Judge Nagle at the SABR Bio Project