Walt’s Diner welcomes guest contributor Dr. David Wintin.
Smoke Justis in Covington, KY, is named after Walt “Smoke” Justis (more on him later) . The place has a variety of smoked meats available. My choice was “The Walt”, a brisket based sandwich (though it was a knife and fork meal for me) with pepper jack cheese, onions, & a fried egg on sourdough from the brunch menu.
Outstanding on multiple levels. They have a great number of intriguing options on the menu but “The Walt” was my obvious choice. We chose outdoor seating, however, the facility is in an older section of Covington that is making a comeback. The indoor ambiance looked to be impressive.
Back to “The Walt”, not the sandwich. Smoke Justis , an Indiana native, was the opening day pitcher for the Covington Blue Sox of the Federal League in 1913, their only season. He pitched in 2 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1905. Made the St. Louis Browns in 1908 but got in a wrestling match with a teammate the day before opening day, got injured and never played in the majors again(except for his 1913 tour with the Blue Sox). He was known for practicing sliding in hotel hallways and wearing ladies silk stockings under his baseball uniform.
Walt’s Diner 