Card Statistics
Bucky Walters is presented in Helmar’s T3 series with Cincinnati in the follow-through of a pitching delivery, his body carried forward over the planted leg as the rear leg lifts behind him. The cream Reds uniform, dark belt, blue cap with red “C,” and red-and-blue stockings give the figure a clear Cincinnati identity. The pose is compact and balanced, showing the controlled finish of a veteran pitcher rather than an exaggerated windup.
The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. She models the pale uniform with warm cream, ochre, gray, and muted blue washes, using deeper shadows through the torso and trousers to suggest the turning motion of the delivery. The blue cap and stockings, accented with red, provide the strongest color notes. The softly painted field and distant green forms are deliberately understated, allowing Walters’s figure to remain the dominant element of the composition.
William Henry “Bucky” Walters was one of the National League’s leading pitchers of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Originally a position player, he converted to pitching and developed into a star after joining Cincinnati. His breakthrough came in 1939, when he won 27 games, posted a 2.29 earned-run average, and was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player.
Walters followed with another outstanding season in 1940, winning 22 games as Cincinnati captured a second consecutive pennant. He then played a major role in the World Series against Detroit, including a complete-game victory and a home run in Game 6. The Reds went on to win the championship in seven games, making Walters one of the central figures in the franchise’s greatest prewar seasons.
Numbered #187, the Walters card adds another major figure from Cincinnati’s 1939–40 championship clubs to the T3 checklist. Its restrained pitching follow-through and clean open-field setting give the image a straightforward athletic character, while Walters’s MVP season and key role in the 1940 World Series provide substantial historical importance.
Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.
- Description: End of follow through
- Team: Cincinnati Reds
- Population (# Sold): 9
- First Date Sold: 2024-05-15
- Latest Date Sold: 2026-09-22
- Card Status: Active
- # Sold in past year: 4
- Highest Auction: $ 65.00
- Average Auction Result: $ 24.78
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Visit these teammates on the Cincinnati Reds in the T3-Helmar series
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