Wally Burnette

Wallace Harper Burnette

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 178 lb.
• High School Spring Garden High School
• Debut July 15, 1956
• Final Game June 28, 1958
• Born June 20, 1929 in Blairs, VA USA
• Died February 12, 2003 in Danville, VA USA

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Biographical Information

"I was leading 7-3 and kept throwing him knuckleballs and he kept fouling them off. He told Tim Thompson my catcher, that I wouldn't throw him another one, but I did and the next thing I saw was the ball banging around in the center field seats." - Wally Burnette, discussing his dance with Ted Williams in serving up "The Splendid Splinter"'s 401st career home run

A right-handed pitcher originally in the New York Yankees organization, Wally Burnette arrived in the Kansas City A's system via one of the many trades between the two teams during the 1950s. After two years in the Army, he won 21 games with the Binghamton Triplets of the Eastern League in 1953. He shut out the Washington Senators, 8-0, at Griffith Stadium on July 15, 1956, in his big league debut and finished his rookie year with a 6-8 record and a 2.89 ERA in 1956. Wally hurt his arm in spring training the following year and was gone after 1958 with an overall record of 14-21 and a 3.56 ERA. On July 19, 1956, he gave up the 401st homer of Ted Williams' career and, a year later on July 31, 1957, served up Mickey Mantle's 201st. Following his playing days, he owned Burnette's Grocery and died on February 12, 2003, in Danville, VA.

Source

Baseball Players of the 1950s