Smooth-fielding, sweet-swinging first baseman Walter "Buck" Leonard was the backbone of the Homestead Grays' dynasty of the late 1930s and 1940s. Even-tempered, modest and loyal, the left-handed hitting Leonard was a model of consistency and one of the best pure hitters to play in the Negro leagues. He played in a record 11 East-West All-Star games, and his remarkable 17-year tenure with the Grays is the longest term of service with one team in Negro leagues history.