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‘57, ‘58 Chatham alum Bill Walker elected to CCBL Hall of Fame 2025 class
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CHATHAM, Mass. — Bill Walker, the 1957 Cape Cod Baseball League batting champion and former Chatham outfielder, has been elected to the CCBL Hall of Fame’s 2025 induction class. Walker spent two seasons with Chatham from 1957-58, notably totaling a .432 batting average in his first year on the Cape. He will be the 33rd Hall of Famer in team history following the induction ceremony on Nov. 16.
Walker, 87, still resides on Cape Cod with his wife, Janet.
Born William Nickerson Walker, he descended from William Nickerson — the founder of Chatham. As a child, he used to spend summers at his grandmother’s house in Harwich Port until her death in 1951. Following high school, Walker then played baseball at Wesleyan University for three seasons. And in 1957, he returned to the Cape for a legendary summer.
Walker became the CCBL batting champion in his first season with Chatham, etching his name in the organization’s history books.
“I had a terrific season in 1957,” Walker told the Cape Cod Times. “It was one of those magic seasons where nobody could get me out.”
Walker’s life after Chatham was arguably much more interesting. He got a degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he started a rugby club. Walker then progressed to serving in the Nixon and Ford presidential administrations, where he was a high-ranking advisor.
He recalled his memories of the Watergate scandal to the Cape Cod Times, saying he used to pick up copies of The Washington Post each morning with “fire tongs.”
Under Ford, Walker became an ambassador and chief trade negotiator for the United States in Tokyo. Following his time in politics, Walker established an international law firm on Wall Street which, as of 2018, he still operates, per the Cape Cod Times.
On July 23, 2018, Walker returned to Veterans Field to throw out the first pitch before an Anglers game.
Walker, 87, still resides on Cape Cod with his wife, Janet.
Born William Nickerson Walker, he descended from William Nickerson — the founder of Chatham. As a child, he used to spend summers at his grandmother’s house in Harwich Port until her death in 1951. Following high school, Walker then played baseball at Wesleyan University for three seasons. And in 1957, he returned to the Cape for a legendary summer.
Walker became the CCBL batting champion in his first season with Chatham, etching his name in the organization’s history books.
“I had a terrific season in 1957,” Walker told the Cape Cod Times. “It was one of those magic seasons where nobody could get me out.”
Walker’s life after Chatham was arguably much more interesting. He got a degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he started a rugby club. Walker then progressed to serving in the Nixon and Ford presidential administrations, where he was a high-ranking advisor.
He recalled his memories of the Watergate scandal to the Cape Cod Times, saying he used to pick up copies of The Washington Post each morning with “fire tongs.”
Under Ford, Walker became an ambassador and chief trade negotiator for the United States in Tokyo. Following his time in politics, Walker established an international law firm on Wall Street which, as of 2018, he still operates, per the Cape Cod Times.
On July 23, 2018, Walker returned to Veterans Field to throw out the first pitch before an Anglers game.
