Thursday, Sep 2, 2021. 4:10 PM
(Update : Thursday, Sep 2, 2021. 6:27 PM)
Larry Walker will feature prominently at the Montreal Expos during his Baseball Hall of Fame induction speech on Wednesday.
“My Expos years were the years in which I learned everything,” Walker said during a video conference hosted by the institution in Cooperstown, New York, on Thursday. I came to baseball without much polish and was lagging behind the others. The Expos allowed me to learn the basics of the sport and climb the baseball ranks one at a time, one level per season up to the Majors. If it weren’t for the Expos, maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation now. Baseball might not have been part of my life. “
Walker, who will be inducted next Wednesday along with Derek Jeter, Ted Simmons, and the late Marvin Miller, played his first six seasons in Montreal, enough for many observers to consider him the organization’s all-time best outfielder. . What followed was a brilliant 10-year career in Colorado, punctuated by three batting championships and a MVP, before ending it all with a season and dust in St. Louis.
His more than 2,000 hits, 1,300 RBIs and his overall career average of .313 were not enough to open the doors to the Temple for him before his 10th and final year of eligibility. Nothing surprising in Walker’s eyes.
“I find that I am an ordinary guy in everything I do and I am in life. I’m definitely not putting myself on a pedestal. I don’t remember a single time in my career when I thought I belonged at Cooperstown.
“When people ask me about my fondest memories, I always talk about my three seasons when we reached the playoffs,” he continued when asked to talk about the greatest moments of his career. Champagne burns in the eyes, but it is an incredible sensation! “
When his plaque is officially unveiled, new members only see it moments before delivering their speech, Walker will officially become the first Canadian positional player and the first Colorado Rockies representative to be admitted.
“It’s such a sensation to be the first Canadian position player and to join Ferguson Jenkins as the second Canadian at Cooperstown. There are more to come, like Joey Votto. It’s amazing to have the maple leaf tattooed on my arm and make my entrance to Cooperstown.
“As for being the first Rockie, it’s amazing and I hope that will pave the way for other players who have played at Coors Field. Many see this as an obstacle, that we do not deserve it enough. The only time I was a free agent I picked Colorado and now I can put the ‘CR’ on my plate cap at Cooperstown. “
Throw proud to represent the Yankees
In contrast, ex-Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was admitted in his first year of eligibility, which is hardly surprising given his 3,465 hits, the sixth-highest in MLB history, and of his five World Series wins in the Big Apple.
The now minority owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins has wished people throughout his career to remember him as a Yankee, where he spent his 20 seasons in the MLB. But above all, like a winner.
“When you run into the former Yankees, all they talk about is their victories. That’s why Alumni Day at Yankee Stadium is so special. “
Jeter was one of the few captains in Yankee history: there have been only 15 since 1903 and none since he retired. Five of them already have their plates in Cooperstown. It is a title that is dear to him.
“It meant a lot: it’s a title that is not often awarded in the Yankees organization. Some time before the ‘Boss’ (late owner George Steinbrenner) named me captain, there were rumors that this could happen. When he asked me if I was comfortable with the title, he told me he didn’t want me to change anything in my game or in my behavior off the field. […] It’s a very important role for the Yankees and I never took it lightly. “
Stressful speeches
Several of the players inducted into Cooperstown admit having struggled to write their speeches. Walker and Jeter are no exception. Jeter hasn’t even finished his yet.
“The Temple must be angry, because I was asked to hand it over a month before the ceremony!” I tried to take my time with this speech. I took a lot of notes, but didn’t want to receive help from anyone. I didn’t want anyone to see it until I delivered it. I still gave a few speeches in my career _ when we closed Yankee Stadium, for example, but never so long: we are talking about fifteen minutes or so. It’s hard to cover your entire career in such a short period of time. “
“I think it’s over,” Walker said. I keep repeating it. I try to keep it short and simple, not to dwell too much on one topic, one person or one team. I’m just trying to show how grateful I feel for receiving this great honor without people falling asleep in the middle of my speech! “
And he wants to underline it: he wrote it himself!
“I was only helped with the punctuation and to make it look like it was read by a human being!” This is the result of several sleepless nights, where I would wake up to write everything that came to mind on my phone. “
We will see the result on September 8, starting at 1:30 p.m.
