Not a Bum

Susan Walker had a father she thought was a hero, a baseball hero even, but she's always been reticent to tell people about him. This week's objet d'eBay remembers her father, Fred Walker, with an autographed picture from 1947 the year when he went from hero, "the people's cherce" of Brooklyn Dodger fans downward.

In that year, Jackie Robinson joined "the Bums," breaking major league baseball's color barrier over the objections of many, including Fred (better known as "Dixie") Walker. With that nickname, he was an obvious person to be prominent in opposition and that prominence has continued despite his later recognition of his own mistake.

Currently, the daughter's hope for a reconsideration of her father's legacy lie with a boy who idolized Walker and grew up to be sportswriter Maury Allen. Their Dixie Walker of the Dodgers is kindling for the promise of redemption.