Outfielder Curtis “Curt” Walker played in the big leagues from 1919 to 1930 for the New York Yankees (1919), New York Giants (1920-1921), Philadelphia Phillies (1921-1923), and Cincinnati Reds (1924-1930). 

Walker batted .304 during his big league career, achieving his best hitting year when he batted .337 for the 1923 Phillies in 148 games. 

Walker was respected for his keen batting eye and knowledge of the strike zone. He struck out only 254 times in 4,858 career official at bats for a 19.1 k/ab ratio – and that figure does not even take into account his 535 career walks and the 9 career times he reached base after being hit by a pitched ball. 

As a base runner, Curt Walker was known for his speed on the base paths. Although he stole only 96 bases over his career, his 117 career triples are testimony to his ability to run quickly and intelligently. In 1926 alone, Walker collected 20 triples, including 2 in one inning in a game for the Reds against the Boston Braves. 

As a fielder, Curt used his speed and his ability to accurately position himself for specific batters to good benefit – and he was also respected for having a strong throwing arm. 

Many people compare Curt Walker favorably with fellow Texan and Texas Baseball Hall of Famer Ross Youngs of Shiner, Texas and the New York Giants, who was also elected to the National Hall of Fame following a tragic illness that struck him down in his prime. If you care to research and compare the lifetime big league statistics of the two Texas contemporaries, you will not find much difference beyond the facts that Youngs played most of his career in New York and died early. 

During the off-season, Curt Walker and his family made their home in his native Beeville, where Curt acquired all three of his MLB nicknames. – “Honey” was the easy homage that his Reds teammates paid to Walker’s Beeville birthplace. “The Undertaker” derived directly from the fact that Walker ran a funeral home business in Beeville during and after his baseball career. Later on, when Curt successfully ran for office as a Justice of the Peace in Beeville, some latched on to the idea of calling him “Judge” Walker. 

By any name ascribed, his play was sweet and his place in the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame was richly deserved. At the time of his retirement, Curt Walker’s career batting average ranked him near the top 100 all time in big league history.

* Struck out only 254 times in 4,858 official times at bat.

* Hit 20 triples in 1926 – including 2 in one inning.

* Batted .337 for the 1923 Phillies.