Wally Bunker
Born: 1/25/1945 in Seattle, WA, USA
MLB Debut: 1963-09-29 | Final Game: 1971-05-26
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 197 lbs
Full name: Wallace Edward Bunker
Biography
Wally Bunker was a talented pitcher who made his mark in Major League Baseball during the 1960s and early 1970s. Born in 1945, Bunker began his professional career in 1963 and played until May 26, 1971. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 60 wins and 52 losses, showcasing a solid performance on the mound. With an earned run average (ERA) of 3.51, he established himself as a reliable starter, contributing significantly to his teams' pitching rotations. Bunker struck out 569 batters throughout his career and recorded 5 saves, demonstrating both his ability to miss bats and his versatility in various pitching roles.
Bunker’s career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the rise of powerful hitters and the increasing importance of pitching depth. His approach on the mound was characterized by a mix of control and determination, attributes that made him a formidable opponent. Despite facing the challenges of a competitive league, Bunker remained a notable figure among his contemporaries, leaving a lasting legacy as a skilled pitcher in the annals of baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 52 | 206 | 152 | 34 | 5 | 5 | 1085.3 | 976 | 423 | 113 | 334 | 569 | 3.51 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BAL | AL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 13.50 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | BAL | AL | 19 | 5 | 29 | 29 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 214.0 | 161 | 64 | 62 | 96 | 2.69 | -397.4 |
| 1965 | BAL | AL | 10 | 8 | 34 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 189.0 | 170 | 71 | 58 | 84 | 3.38 | -1051.2 |
| 1966 | BAL | AL | 10 | 6 | 29 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 142.7 | 151 | 68 | 48 | 89 | 4.29 | -1085.6 |
| 1967 | BAL | AL | 3 | 7 | 29 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 88.0 | 83 | 40 | 31 | 51 | 4.09 | -527.7 |
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 2 | 0 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 71.0 | 59 | 19 | 14 | 44 | 2.41 | 846.8 |
| 1969 | KCR | AL | 12 | 11 | 35 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 222.7 | 198 | 80 | 62 | 130 | 3.23 | - |
| 1970 | KCR | AL | 2 | 11 | 24 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 121.7 | 109 | 57 | 50 | 59 | 4.22 | - |
| 1971 | KCR | AL | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32.3 | 35 | 18 | 6 | 15 | 5.01 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 331 | 20 | 31 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 36 | 145 | 0.094 | 0.183 | 0.118 | 0.300 | -2121.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BAL | AL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | BAL | AL | 29 | 72 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 32 | 0.069 | -677.0 |
| 1965 | BAL | AL | 34 | 55 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 27 | 0.073 | -546.3 |
| 1966 | BAL | AL | 30 | 48 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 0.104 | -391.6 |
| 1967 | BAL | AL | 29 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0.077 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 18 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0.111 | 0.0 |
| 1969 | KCR | AL | 35 | 70 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 0.143 | -506.8 |
| 1970 | KCR | AL | 24 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 0.065 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | KCR | AL | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | WS | BAL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | WS | BAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 206 | 152 | 70 | 179 | 8 | 13 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BAL | P | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | BAL | P | 29 | 29 | 20 | 34 | 1 | 3 |
| 1965 | BAL | P | 34 | 27 | 8 | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | BAL | P | 29 | 24 | 8 | 19 | 0 | 3 |
| 1967 | BAL | P | 29 | 9 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | BAL | P | 18 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | KCA | P | 35 | 31 | 19 | 43 | 2 | 6 |
| 1970 | KCA | P | 24 | 15 | 5 | 17 | 3 | 0 |
| 1971 | KCA | P | 7 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 206 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | TSN Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 23.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1964 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 2nd | 1.0 | 20 | 1 |