Walter Lee Gibbons

• BIRTHPLACE Tampa Bay, Florida

• BORN October 13, 1929

• INDUCTED 2006

Walter Lee Gibbons was born in Tampa Bay, Florida on October 13, 1929. Gibbons was an outstanding pitcher, and often called “Bubble Gum” by teammates. He first played in Negro Leagues with Indianapolis and Baltimore, then came to Canada in 1949 to play with the Brandon Greys for two years. He had a remarkable 1949 season, in which he won 19, lost 5, and had 229 strikeouts. Gibbons was drafted into the US army in the 50s, and served in Korea for a few years. After his service, he returned to Manitoba to play baseball with the Winnipeg Giants before returning to the Brandon Greys. He also played for the Minot Mallards. In the 1990s, Gibbons was honoured at a Tampa Bay Devil Rays game, and he threw the opening pitch.