Jerry Walker, who at age 20 became the youngest player to start the MLB All-Star Game when he took the mound representing the Baltimore Orioles in 1959, has died.
He was 85.
The Orioles announced Walker’s death on Wednesday. The announcement did not include additional details such as cause of death.
Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA Today
The team later said that he died on Sunday following an apparent heart attack at his home in Ada, Oklahoma.
Walker pitched eight seasons in the major leagues for Baltimore, the Kansas City Athletics and the then-Cleveland Indians.
He made his debut as an 18-year-old in 1957 and two years later earned his lone All-Star selection. He started the second of the two All-Star Games in 1959.
Walker’s age of 20 years, 172 days broke the record set by Tigers outfielder Al Kaline (20 years, 205 days) in 1955.
Kaline remains the second-youngest player to start an All-Star Game, according to Sportradar.
Following his playing days, Walker managed in the New York Yankees’ minor-league system and became a scout for them. He also worked as a pitching coach for the Yankees and the Houston Astros.
Walker worked a stint as general manager for the Detroit Tigers in the early 1990s and later spent time in the front office for the St Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds.
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