Walter Kirby Higbe (April 8, 1915 – May 6, 1985) was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1937 to 1950.
He finally stuck in the majors, and in 1940, went 14–19 with a 3.72 earned run average (ERA) for a last place Phillies' team.
[1] In November 1940, the Phillies traded Higbe to the Brooklyn Dodgers for Bill Crouch, Mickey Livingston, Vito Tamulis, and $100,000.
[1] He tied his teammate Whit Wyatt for the league-lead in wins and finished seventh in the NL MVP voting as the Dodgers won the pennant.
[1] He began the 1947 season with a 2–0 record for the eventual NL champion Dodgers, but he insisted upon being traded when Brooklyn added Jackie Robinson to the team as the first black major leaguer in the 20th century.
He was reunited with his old Dodgers manager Leo Durocher when he was acquired by the New York Giants from the Pirates for Bobby Rhawn and Ray Poat on June 6, 1949.