CBN HOF Series: Kevin Briand on Walker

Former Coquitlam Reds INF Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, BC) throws out the ceremonial first pitch at Olympic Stadium with a bearded C Darren Fletcher (24) and LHP Denis Boucher (Lachine, Que. … No. 38) watching.

His home province of British Columbia is sure proud of him, and so are ball fans all across Canada. To celebrate Maple Ridge, B.C., native Larry Walker becoming the first Canadian position player to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, we will be running a series of tribute articles from many who have known and been inspired by him - including former teammates, managers, coaches and even his dad - leading up to the Sept. 8 ceremony. We will also be publishing tributes to Walker's fellow 2020 inductees Derek Jeter, Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller.

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Steve Rogers on Marvin Miller ||||| Mario Ziino on Ted Simmons ||||| Buck Showalter on Derek Jeter ||||| “The Legend” Dick Groch signed Jeter, plus scouting report ||||| Captain Jeter was Mr. November

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Larry Walker’s on Larry Walker, Jr. ||||| Clint Hurdle on Larry Walker IIIII Stubby Clapp on Larry Walker IIIII Gene Glynn on Larry Walker IIIII Allan Simpson on Larry Walker IIIII Coquitlam coach Don Archer on Walker ||||| HOFer La Russa on HOFer Walker IIIII Neil Munro on Larry Walker ||||| Kevin Glew on Walker ||||

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By Kevin Briand

Toronto Blue Jays Scout

When I think of baseball, and how it is introduced to people for the first time, I think of someone playing catch with their mother or father at a young age, them seeing people playing the game in a local park, or them watching it on TV, or a device. These influences have a lot of impact.

The Major Leagues have had a lot of impact. In Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays played a huge role in introducing the game to people. From 1969-2004, the Montreal Expos also played a big role. Many players on these teams, in addition to those on other MLB teams, inspired young baseball fans to not only play the game, but to dream of playing it at the highest level.

Larry Walker was one of those players. He not only played for the Montreal Expos (in addition to the Colorado Rockies and the St. Louis Cardinals), but he was one of their best players from 1989-1994.

And ... he was Canadian.

I was playing in the Baseball Quebec system when he first came up to the big leagues. Not long after his debut, he became one of the better players in the National League. I was inspired by how good he was and I, like many other players across the country I’m sure, thought: “Hey, if I work hard and get a few breaks, maybe I can play in the big leagues like he did.”

That type of influence is powerful. And that influence also has a trickle down effect. When a young player is trying to make Canada’s Junior National Team and finds out that Larry Walker played on that same team in 1984, I have to think that would give them extra motivation to make the team. It sure did for me in 1989.

The same can be said, for someone trying out for a BC Premier League team where he played, or for any team across Canada where a current or former big leaguer played. Every Canadian who has played in the majors has played some type of role in inspiring young players. Larry Walker played one of the biggest roles due to his talent, his performance, his star status, and him coming through the various minor baseball programs in Canada.

He wasn’t only blessed with a lot of talent, but he was fundamentally sound, and he played the game the right way. Coaches across Canada at all levels use examples of major players when referencing what to do and not do, in various aspects of the game.

I’m sure over the years many coaches asked their players to watch Larry Walker’s swing, his approach, his defence, and his base running. I have to think a lot of players improved their skills by doing so.

The 1990s were, in many ways, a renaissance for baseball in Canada. When the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series championships in 1992-93, it coincided with a major rise in player registrations across Canada. In addition to this, Canada became a “draft region” in 1991, according to the commissioner’s office in New York.

Prior to that, all Canadians not playing at a US school, were considered free agents. That same year, Canada won the World Junior Championships. And while all of that was going on, Larry Walker was becoming an impact player at the Major League level. I can’t help but think that when more and more major-league scouts and US College coaches came to Canada to evaluate talent, some of them said in the back of their minds, “I hope I can find the next Fergie Jenkins or Larry Walker on this trip”.

And, on Wednesday, when he is enshrined as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Canadians from coast to coast will tip their cap to him for touching their lives in some way.

People will say: “I saw him play, or I coached him, or I was his teammate, or I umpired him.”

If that doesn’t have impact, I don’t know what does.

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Kevin Briand grew up in St.Hubert, Que. and is now a pro scout with the Toronto Blue Jays. As a player, the lefty pitched at the 1989 Baseball Canada Cup for Quebec and the same year made the Canadian Junior National Team, pitching at the IBA World Junior championships in Trois Rivieres, Que. and the same year the IBA Presidents Cup at Taiwan.

From 1989-93, Briand pitched for the National Baseball Institute Blues in Surrey, BC. In 1994 he was a student coach at the NBI and in 1994-95 he was NBI’s pitching Coach.

Briand moved east to serve at Baseball Canada as technical coordinator in 1995-96 and before becoming Baseball Canada’s manager, baseball operations (1997-99). From Ottawa, Briand was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1999 and has since held the following positions: manager, amateur baseball (December 1999-August 2003), director of Canadian Scouting (August 2003-November-09) and now as a pro scout (2009 until the present day).

As someone who grew up in Quebec when Walker was an Expo, pitched in BC, travelled coast to coast and then becoming a pro scout, few are as in touch with what Larry Walker means to young Canadian players.