WALTER BOND, 29, EX-FIRST BASEMAN
HOUSTON, Sept. 15 (AP) — Walter Bond, a former major league first baseman, died of leukemia yesterday in Methodist Hospital. He was 29 years old.
Bond, 6-foot-6 inch, 215 pounder, had his best major league season in 1964 when he drove in 85 runs for the Houston Astros and hit 20 home runs. He also had 7 triples, 16 doubles and finished the year with a .254 average.
The 85 runs batted in was a Houston club record until it was broken this year by Jimmy Wynn.
Bond was traded by the Astros to the Minnesota Twins organization early in 1966. He was sent to Denver, where he had a good year as a pinch hitter and part-time outfielder and first baseman. He was called up by the Twins and remained about a month and was released.
The Astros had purchased Bond from the Cleveland organization in 1963. He had played the previous season at Jacksonville in the International League. Bond played briefly with the Cleveland Indians in 1960, 1961 and 1962.
He is survived by his widow, Lynette. |
