Walker Cress

Walker James Cress
(Foots)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 205 lb.
• School Hiwassee College, Louisiana State University
• Debut April 27, 1948
• Final Game May 1, 1949
• Born March 6, 1917 in Ben Hur, VA USA
• Died April 21, 1996 in Baton Rouge, LA USA

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Biographical Information

Virginia native Walker Cress spent ten active seasons in pro ball from 1939 to 1951. He was signed out of LSU by the Boston Red Sox before the 1939 season. He spent his first three seasons in the minors with six different clubs, having a good season in 1940 with three different teams, building a 15-6 record in 28 games. Cress jumped up to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League in 1942 and appeared in five games. He was then drafted into the United States Military, where he spent the next four years (1942-1945) during World War II. On his return, he spent the 1946 season with the Lynn Red Sox of the Class B New England League and his 19 wins and 1.98 ERA, along with 174 strikeouts, led the league for a pitching Triple Crown, helped his team to the league championship and put him on the All-Star team. Walker was still hot in 1947, and while pitching for the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association, he went 15-5 in 25 games, another All-Star season.

The Cincinnati Reds procured Cress from the Boston Red Sox in an unknown transaction and he spent the 1948 year at Crosley Field with the big club. He went the entire 1948 season, plus three games into the 1949 season, before appearing in a big league victory. The streak covered 32 pitching appearances. In his 33rd game, May 1, 1949, the Reds won and Cress never appeared again. Cress’s major league lifetime record was 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA in 62 innings. Cress finished the year with the Tulsa Oilers of the AA Texas League with a 15-7 record in 33 games, helping his club to the league playoff title. Walker was with the Oilers again in 1950 and went 18-11 with a 3.48 ERA. He called it a career after going 2-5 in 16 games in 1951. In the minors, he was 99-60 while appearing in 228 games and pitching 1,308 innings.

After baseball, Cress resided in Baton Rouge, LA. He worked as an electrician and scouted for the Giants, Cardinals and Astros. Before his retirement, he also was the Director of Recreation for BREC, a recreational development in East Baton Rouge Parish. Cress died at the age of 79 on April 21, 1996 in Baton Rouge.