Bob Walk


Robert Vernon Walk, nicknamed "The Whirly Bird", is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
During his rookie season in Philadelphia, Walk recorded 11 regular season wins and a victory in Game One of the 1980 World Series, his Phillies defeating the Kansas City Royals in six games. Traded to the Braves, he bounced between the main club and Triple-A, until being released in March 1984. Walk was signed to a minor league contract by the Pirates and led the Pacific Coast League in earned run average and wins in, earning a trip back to the majors. He was named to the All-Star team in when he won 12 games and posted a 2.71 ERA.
In his waning years, Walk served as a spot starter and swingman for the Pirates' teams that won three straight NL East titles from -. His most memorable outing being when manager Jim Leyland removed him from the bullpen and named him a surprise starter in Game Five of the 1992 NLCS against Atlanta. Walk tossed a complete game three-hitter to stave off elimination in a series which the Pirates would eventually lose in seven games. He was also the pitcher who was warmed up in the bullpen when Francisco Cabrera hit the two-run, game-winning single against Stan Belinda, which won the series for Atlanta. Despite both Walk and Cabrera being right-handers, Leyland opted to keep Belinda to pitch to Cabrera.
On June 30, 2007, the Pirates honored Walk with a Stadium Give Away bobble head night, during a game against the Washington Nationals.
Walk is currently an announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh and radio. He is also a fill-in game analyst on MLB on FOX.

Personal

Walk is the father of three children, Tommy, Johnny, and Ronnie.