Lee Walls – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Lee Walls wrapped up his Major League Baseball career in 1964, having played 12 seasons as an outfielder for five different teams. Born Raymond Lee Walls Jr. in San Diego, California, he made it to the majors at just 19 years old with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1952.

Walls played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers during his MLB career. He put together a .262 batting average with 66 home runs and 284 RBIs across 902 games. His standout year came in 1958 with the Chicago Cubs, when he hit .304 with 24 home runs and landed his only All-Star selection.

The versatile outfielder played through the 1950s and early 1960s, a period when baseball was definitely changing. After retiring from MLB in 1964, Walls went to Japan and played one more season with the Hankyu Braves in 1965, showing just how much he loved the game.

Lee Walls’ Baseball Career Overview

Lee Walls spent 10 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1952 to 1964, appearing in 902 games for five teams. He finished with a .262 batting average, 66 home runs, and 284 RBIs. His best season happened in 1958 when he earned All-Star honors with the Chicago Cubs.

Early Years and MLB Debut

Raymond Lee Walls Jr. was born January 6, 1933, in San Diego, California. He debuted in the major leagues at age 19 with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 21, 1952.

His rookie season wasn’t easy. Walls played in 32 games and struggled at the plate, batting just .188 with 15 hits in 80 at-bats.

He managed 2 home runs and 5 RBIs but struck out 22 times.

The Pirates let Walls develop in the minor leagues. He returned to Pittsburgh in 1956 with improved skills and more confidence.

In 1956, Walls broke out with the Pirates. He played 143 games and hit .274 with 130 hits.

His 11 home runs and 54 RBIs showed he had turned things around from his rookie year.

Major League Milestones

Walls hit his stride with the Chicago Cubs from 1957 to 1959. After leaving Pittsburgh, he found a groove in Chicago.

1958 All-Star Season:

• .304 batting average
• 156 hits in 513 at-bats
• 24 home runs
• 72 RBIs
• National League All-Star team selection

This season put Walls on the map as a reliable outfielder in the National League. His 24 home runs in 1958 were his career best.

After Chicago, Walls played for three more teams. He spent time with the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies in 1960, then stuck with Philadelphia through 1961.

The Los Angeles Dodgers picked him up for his last three MLB seasons.

Career Statistics by Team:

• Pittsburgh Pirates (1952, 1956-1957): .259 average, 13 home runs
• Chicago Cubs (1957-1959): .272 average, 38 home runs
• Cincinnati Reds (1960): .274 average, 1 home run
• Philadelphia Phillies (1960-1961): .247 average, 11 home runs
• Los Angeles Dodgers (1962-1964): .242 average, 3 home runs

Retirement in 1964

Walls finished up his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1964. He only played in 37 games that final season, with 30 plate appearances.

He batted .179 in his last year, getting just 5 hits in 28 at-bats. It was a far cry from his peak in Chicago.

At 31, Walls stepped away from Major League Baseball after the 1964 season. His career lasted 12 years, but he played in the majors for 10.

He wasn’t quite done, though. Walls went to Japan and joined the Hankyu Braves for the 1965 season.

Walls passed away on October 11, 1993, in Los Angeles, California. He left behind 670 career hits and that memorable 1958 All-Star nod with the Cubs.

Notable Seasons and Achievements

Lee Walls hit his peak in 1958 with the Chicago Cubs, earning his only All-Star selection while putting up career-high numbers in home runs and RBIs. His power hitting over his career produced 66 home runs and 284 RBIs in 10 MLB seasons.

1958 All-Star Season with the Chicago Cubs

Walls hit his stride in 1958 with the Cubs. He batted .304 with 24 home runs and 72 RBIs in 136 games.

That performance earned him his only All-Star nod. It was a big jump from his .237 average the previous year.

Walls posted a .493 slugging percentage and .863 OPS in 1958. He racked up 156 hits and scored 80 runs for the Cubs.

His 4.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in 1958 was the highest of his career. He struck out just 62 times and drew 47 walks.

Home Runs and Power Stats

Walls hit 66 home runs in his 10-year MLB career from 1952 to 1964. His best power year? Definitely 1958, when he launched 24 homers.

He drove in 284 RBIs over his career. The 1958 season also brought him a personal best with 72 RBIs.

Walls managed 11 home runs in both 1956 and 1961. His career slugging percentage landed at .398, and his OPS was .726.

He also racked up 31 triples and 88 doubles in the majors. Across 902 games, he tallied 1,018 total bases.

Hitting for the Cycle

As far as records go, Lee Walls never hit for the cycle in his MLB career. That rare feat requires a single, double, triple, and home run in one game.

Walls showed both power and speed, with 66 home runs and 31 triples, but there’s no official record of him completing a cycle.

Still, his ability to hit for extra bases stood out during his time in the league.

Teams Played For

Lee Walls played for five Major League Baseball teams over his 13-year career from 1952 to 1964. He started with the Pittsburgh Pirates and later joined the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers before wrapping up in Japan with the Hankyu Braves in 1965.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Walls kicked off his MLB career with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 21, 1952, at just 19. He debuted against the Chicago Cubs, got one at-bat, but didn’t notch a hit.

After that first appearance, Walls spent some time in the minors. He came back to Pittsburgh in 1956 for his first full MLB season.

In 1956, Walls batted .274 and flashed some power. He hit 11 triples, which was third-best in the National League that year.

He also produced 11 home runs and 54 RBIs. The Pirates mostly used him as an outfielder.

Walls played parts of three seasons with Pittsburgh (1952, 1956-1957). That strong 1956 season helped him lock down a regular spot in the majors.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs picked up Walls during the 1957 season, and he spent some of his best years there. His time in Chicago had ups and downs, but also some big moments.

On July 2, 1957, Walls did something rare—he hit for the cycle at Wrigley Field. It happened in an 8-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

The 1958 season turned out to be his best. As the Cubs’ regular right fielder, he hit career highs in just about every category.

1958 Career Highs:

• Batting average: .304
• Hits: 156
• Home runs: 24
• RBIs: 72

On April 24, 1958, Walls went off against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Memorial Coliseum. He smacked three home runs and drove in eight RBIs in a 15-2 Cubs win.

His huge 1958 season got him picked for the National League All-Star team as a reserve. He pinch hit in the seventh and stayed in to play left field.

Walls’ numbers dropped in 1959, his last year with the Cubs. That spelled the end of his days as a regular starter.

Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies

After Chicago, Walls moved on to the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies in 1960. He shifted into more of a utility role.

With the Reds in 1960, Walls played alongside future Yankees coach Billy Martin. That connection actually mattered later in his coaching life.

The Phillies used Walls during the 1960 season too. He stuck around with Philadelphia through 1961.

During this stretch, Walls played multiple positions. He handled infield, outfield, and pinch-hitting duties.

His versatility helped both teams. Managers could plug him in wherever they needed.

The change from regular starter to utility guy wasn’t easy, but Walls made it work.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Walls joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962 and played his final three MLB seasons there. Those years brought both playoff drama and a championship.

In 1962, Walls shined as a pinch hitter, going 13-for-27 (.482) in those spots. That helped the Dodgers tie the San Francisco Giants for the National League pennant.

The 1962 season ended with a wild three-game playoff against the Giants. Walls played in all three games, even starting Game 1 at first base.

In Game 2, Walls came up big with a pinch double that drove in three runs. That hit sparked a seven-run rally and kept the Dodgers alive with an 8-7 win.

But in Game 3, Walls made the final out, lining out to center fielder Willie Mays. The Giants took the series and moved on to the World Series.

The next year, the Dodgers got their redemption. The team won the 1963 World Series, sweeping the Yankees in four games.

Walls didn’t play in the World Series, but he helped the Dodgers during the regular season. His last MLB appearance came on October 4, 1964, capping a 13-year career.

Career Statistics and Playing Style

Lee Walls posted a .262 batting average over 902 games in Major League Baseball. During his prime, he delivered solid offense.

His defensive versatility let him play all over the outfield during his career.

Batting Average and Offensive Output

Walls kept up a .262 career batting average over his 10 MLB seasons from 1952 to 1964. He tallied 66 home runs and 284 RBIs in 902 games.

His best year came in 1958 with the Chicago Cubs, when he hit .304 with 24 home runs and 72 RBIs. That season got him an All-Star spot.

From 1958-1960, his best three-year stretch, Walls hit .272 with 38 home runs and 138 RBIs in 373 games.

Key Career Offensive Statistics:

• Games: 902
• Hits: 670
• Home Runs: 66
• RBIs: 284
• Runs Scored: 331

Walls had decent plate discipline. He drew 245 walks and struck out 470 times, showing a pretty balanced approach.

Defensive Positions and Skills

Walls mostly played outfield in his MLB career, but he could handle multiple spots. That flexibility made him valuable to every team he joined.

He played right field, center field, and left field at different times. Managers liked being able to move him around as needed.

His defense helped him stick around in the big leagues. Teams always need guys who can cover different outfield positions.

Walls finished with 8.0 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in his career, so he clearly contributed both at the plate and in the field.

Early Life and Personal Background

Raymond Lee Walls Jr. was born in San Diego, California on January 6, 1933. He later moved to Pasadena, where he finished high school and went to college before signing his first professional baseball contract.

Birthplace and Family

Lee Walls was born in San Diego, California, on January 6, 1933. His full name was Raymond Lee Walls Jr., so he shared his father’s name.

The family moved to the Pasadena area when Lee was still young. That move really shaped his baseball journey, since Southern California had some of the strongest high school baseball programs around.

During his playing days, Walls stood 6 feet 3 inches and weighed 205 pounds. He batted and threw right-handed.

One thing that made Walls stand out from most players in his era—he wore eyeglasses on the field. Hardly anyone did that in the 1950s and 1960s, so it definitely got him noticed. People started calling him “Captain Midnight” because of his eyewear.

Education and Pasadena City College

Walls went to Pasadena High School, where he really started to hone his baseball skills. The school was right there in Pasadena, the city his family had chosen after leaving San Diego.

After high school, Walls headed to Pasadena City College. That two-year school gave him a chance to keep playing baseball and continue his education at the same time.

Playing both high school and college baseball in Pasadena set him up well for the pros. California baseball programs were so competitive back then, and he got plenty of exposure to good coaching and tough competition.

In 1951, while he was still in the Pasadena area, Walls signed his first professional contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was only 18 when he decided to jump into pro baseball.

Life After Baseball and Legacy

After his playing days, Lee Walls stayed involved in baseball by moving into coaching roles. He died in 1993 in Los Angeles, and people remembered him as a versatile player who helped a World Series champion team.

Coaching and Baseball Involvement

When Walls retired from playing in 1964, he didn’t just walk away from the game. He played baseball in Japan in 1965, which turned out to be his last year as an active player.

After coming back from Japan, Walls took on coaching and instructional roles in baseball organizations. He’d played outfield, third base, and first base, so he had a lot to offer as an instructor.

Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, Walls worked with different teams as a coach. Having played for five major league teams, he brought a wide range of experience to the table, and younger players could really learn from him.

He stayed involved with baseball in the Los Angeles area, showing up at alumni events and keeping in touch with his old Dodgers teammates.

Death and Cemetery

Lee Walls died on October 11, 1993, in Los Angeles, California, at 60 years old. He’d lived in the Los Angeles area after retiring from baseball.

Walls spent more than forty years dedicated to the game. He kept living in California, the same state where he went to high school and wrapped up his playing career.

After he died, his family chose to have him cremated instead of buried in a traditional cemetery. That was their preference for his final arrangements.

People in the Los Angeles baseball community remembered Walls as a dedicated player who played a role in the Dodgers’ success in the early 1960s. Former teammates and colleagues noticed his passing and reflected on the time they shared with him during and after his playing years.

Recognition and Impact

Walls built his baseball legacy around being a reliable utility player over 12 seasons. He could play several positions, which made him a valuable teammate wherever he went.

He hit his biggest milestone with the 1963 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Even though he didn’t play in the World Series games, he helped the team get there with his regular season performance.

Walls wrapped up his career with a .262 batting average, 66 home runs, and 284 RBIs in 902 games. Those numbers show he was more of a steady hand than a superstar.

Baseball historians sometimes point to Walls as the kind of journeyman player who quietly held teams together in the 1950s and 1960s. He kept adapting to new teams and situations, which really captures the professional mindset of his era.

Some of his former teammates still talk about how dedicated he was, always treating the game and its traditions with genuine respect.