Wally_Berger--Edwin_Lee_Mathews

Walter Anton Berger (October 10, 1905 – November 30, 1988) was an American professional baseball player, scout and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1930 to 1940, most prominently as a member of the Boston Braves, where he was four-time All-Star player and was one of the most prolific power hitters of his era before injuries prematurely ended his playing career after just 10 seasons.In his first season as a major league player, Berger hit 38 home runs to set a home run record for rookies which stood for 57 years. He averaged 28 home runs and 103 runs batted in along with a .307 batting average over the first seven years of his career, and was the starting center fielder for the National League (NL) in the first All-Star Game.Berger played in relative obscurity for the perennially losing Braves teams of the 1930s. In 1935 he led the NL with 34 home runs and 130 runs batted in despite the Braves having the fourth-most losses in MLB history. His 190 home runs hit as a Brave are a Boston franchise record and, he was the seventh NL player to hit 200 career home runs.Berger also played for the New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies. He appeared in two World Series campaigns later in his career with the Giants in 1937 and the Reds in 1939, losing both times to the New York Yankees. After serving as a baseball coach in the United States Navy during World War II, Berger worked as a scout for the Giants and Yankees and managed in the Yankees minor league organization.