Larry Walker didn’t think he’d be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his final year on the ballot. On Tuesday, Walker got the call that he will remember for the rest of his life as he learned of his induction into Cooperstown.
Walker, who will join Derek Jeter in MLB’s 2020 Hall of Fame class, received 76.6% percent of the votes from the 397 ballots cast by voters from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Walker’s MLB career began in 1989 with the Montreal Expos. After winning two Gold Glove Awards and a Silver Slugger Award in Montreal, his career reached new heights with the Colorado Rockies.
Walker quickly became a star and fan favorite in Colorado, finishing with 258 home runs, 848 RBI and a .334/.426/.628 slash line in 10 seasons with the Rockies.
A seven-time Gold Glove Award recipient and the 1997 NL MVP, Walker finished his 17-year career with 2,160 hits, 383 home runs and 1,311 RBI. He now becomes the first Rockies’ player to be elected into Cooperstown.