Fred Walters

{{Short description|American baseball player (1912–1980)}}

{{for|the broadcast executive and journalist|Fred B. Walters}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Fred Walters

|position=Catcher

|image=

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1912|9|4}}

|birth_place=Laurel, Mississippi

|death_date={{death date and age|1980|2|1|1912|9|4}}

|death_place=Laurel, Mississippi

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 17

|debutyear=1945

|debutteam= Boston Red Sox

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=August 9

|finalyear=1945

|finalteam= Boston Red Sox

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.172

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=5

|teams=

• Boston Red Sox ({{by|1945}})

|highlights=

}}

Fred James Walters (September 4, 1912 – February 1, 1980) was a backup catcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the {{by|1945}} season. Listed at {{convert|6|ft|1}} and {{convert|210|lb}}—and nicknamed "Whale"—Walters batted and threw right-handed. He was signed by the Red Sox in 1937 out of Mississippi State University.

A native of Laurel, Mississippi, Walters was one of many players who only appeared in the majors during World War II. He was a .172 hitter (16-for-93) with two runs, two doubles, one stolen base, and five RBI without home runs in 40 games. In 38 catching appearances he posted a .993 fielding percentage (one error in 144 chances). His professional playing career extended for 11 seasons (1938–42; 1944–49). In June 1946, he abruptly became the player-manager of the Triple-A Louisville Colonels during the six-week suspension of skipper Nemo Leibold and led the squad to a sparkling 34–12 record.{{cite web|url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/c10b1f15|title=Fred Walters|last=Nowlin|first=Bill|publisher=Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project|accessdate=20 January 2018}} The following season, he piloted the Double-A Birmingham Barons to the Southern Association championship.

Walters left baseball after the 1950 season, which he spent as manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts, eventually became a sheriff in Mississippi,. and died in his hometown of Laurel at the age of 67.