A native Czechoslovakian, the hustling Valo was noted for his fearless manner in challenging fences. He first played regularly for the A’s in 1942 but spent 1944 and 1945 in the military, returning to bat .306 in 1946. A lefthanded line-drive hitter, he hit .300 or better five times in his 20 ML seasons, with a high of .364 playing part-time in 1955. In the latter part of his career he became an outstanding pinch hitter; in 1960, with the Yankees and Senators, he set ML pinch-hitting records for games, walks, and most times reaching first base. He also set a record with 91 career walks as a pinch hitter. After his release, he served as a major league scout and coach through 1982.
