Pitcher Walter "Boom-Boom" Beck was a big league hurler for several teams between 1924 and 1945.  He was a major league pitcher until age 40.  Our hero pitched until age 45 as a fairly effective relief pitcher with the Toledo Mud Hens, the Detroit Tigers top minor league affiliate, in 1950.  He won 199 minor league games.

The man with the legendary baseball nickname pitched for the St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. 

The story behind the nickname:  supposedly, while Brooklyn Dodger rightfielder Hack Wilson was snoozing off a hangover during a Casey Stengel pitching change at Philadelphia's Baker Bowl bandbox ballpark, Walter was upset at the proceedings.  He decided to rifle the ball at the offending tin wall in right field.  Wilson, believing the clang was yet another double off the wall, retrieved the ball and fired a strike in to second base.  Boom Boom.

Walter loved the nickname, which ranks right up there with Coot Veal, Whammy Douglas, Hillbilly Bildilli, Highpockets Kelly, Spook Jacobs, Bow Wow Arft, Pussy Tebeau, Oil Can Boyd, Coco Crisp, Tookie Gilbert, Baby Doll Jacobson, Bee Bee Richard, Pokey Reese, Ping Bodie, Wahoo Sam Crawford, P-Nuts Lowrey, Bonehead Merkle....

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