Class of 1973
Born: September 24, 1910 in Villa Rica, Georgia
Category: Baseball
Dixie Walker signed a baseball contract with Birmingham at age 17, before moving to the farm team in Greensboro. The New York Yankees soon signed him for $25,000. During his professional career, which spanned from 1928-1949, he hit .300 or better in 12 seasons. In 1944 he led the National League in hitting with a .357 average for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played in the 1941 and 1947 World Series and five All-Star Games between 1943 and 1947. He would finish his career with an overall batting average of .306 in 1,905 games. He recorded 105 homeruns and 1,023 RBIs over his 18-year MLB career. After he retired from playing, he managed the Atlanta Crackers to a Southern League pennant in 1951. Later he would coach and scout for Los Angeles.
