In Mozart Lodge No. 436 in Philadelphia, he was known as Brother William Henry Walters. Everywhere during the '30s, '40s, and '50s, just about everybody knew him as "Bucky" Walters, the outstanding baseball player, pitcher, coach, and manager.

Bucky Walters is in the record books with a long list of accomplishments, a host of honors and impressive awards such as Most Valuable Player and All Around Player, and was honored along with great players like Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. As a pitcher, he led the major leagues in victories over a 15-year period (1935 through 1949). More than one-fifth (42) of his life-time wins were shutouts; he completed 61% of the games that he started; he played in six All-Star Games; and more.

Bucky Walters should be in Baseball's Hall of Fame. But, he is not ­ yet!

He will be, if his grandson, Jeffrey L. Walters, a member of Perry Lodge No. 458, Marysville, is successful. He is working hard to get Bucky Walters the recognition that he feels is long overdue. He's writing, calling, or visiting everyone that he can -- presidents, governors, baseball dignitaries and other sports figures, and lots of dyed-in-the-wool fans -- and urging them to contact the members of Veterans Committee who vote to elect players to The National Baseball Hall of Fame. He says anyone who remembers Bucky Walters and his accomplishments can help by writing to the Veterans Committee, c/o The National Baseball Hall of Fame, P.O. Box 590, Cooperstown, NY, 13326.

Bucky Walters' extraordinary career in baseball established a standard of excellence that to this day is emulated throughout the sport. His versatility, length of time as an active athlete, and leadership in the sport has been noted through the years. For each of 20 years, his name appeared on the Baseball Writers of America Association's ballot for inclusion into the Hall of Fame. He nearly achieved the vote for inclusion, but not quite. The younger Walters said, "It's time that Bucky be granted the recognition he deserves," and he's finding a lot of people who agree.

Bucky Walters played in the major leagues from 1931 through 1950. During his career, he played at every position except catcher. He began in Boston in 1931 to 1934; then in Philadelphia, 1934 to 1938, where he played in the first night baseball game, May 25, 1935 against Cincinnati; then in Cincinnati, 1938 to 1949, where he played in the first televised baseball game, Aug. 26, 1939 against Brooklyn; and back to Boston in 1950. He continued his career variously as a major and minor league manager, coach, pitching coach, and scout through 1960. He held the unique distinction for a baseball player by umpiring a major league game during the rare umpire strike in 1946.

In a summary of Bucky's achievements, Jeffrey Walters concludes: "This is an unusually well rounded career. What does it really take to be inducted into The National Baseball Hall of Fame?"