Colorado Rockies to retire Larry Walker's No. 33
The Colorado Rockies announced on Friday that they will retire Larry Walker’s No. 33 that he wore with the club.
January 17, 2020
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
The Colorado Rockies announced on Friday that they will retire jersey number 33 in honour of Canadian slugger Larry Walker.
The number retirement ceremony will take place on April 19 prior to the Rockies’ game against the St. Louis Cardinals, another of Walker’s former teams.
The announcement comes just four days before Walker will find out if he will be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the baseball writers in his 10th and final year on the ballot.
“There is no bigger honour an organization can give a player than retiring his number,” Walker said in a statement on Thursday. “Today, Dick Monfort called to say that they are going to retire #33! I can’t tell you how taken aback I am by this gesture. I am both thrilled and honoured and I look forward to seeing my number hanging next to the greatest Rockie of all time, #17 (Todd Helton)!”
The Maple Ridge, B.C., native suited up for parts of 10 seasons with the Rockies from 1995 to 2004 and batted .334 with 258 home runs, 848 RBI and 126 stolen bases. Walker ranks first in Rockies history in batting average, on-base percentage (.426) and slugging percentage (.618) and second, behind Todd Helton, in runs, hits, home runs and RBI.
In 1997, Walker became the only player in Rockies history and the first Canadian to win the National League MVP Award. That season he topped the majors with a .720 slugging percentage, a 1.172 OPS and 409 total bases. His 49 home runs also led the National League and set a franchise mark that was equalled by Helton in 2001.
Walker wore No. 33 religiously throughout his big league career, which spanned 17 seasons, with the Montreal Expos (1989-94), Rockies (1995-2004) and Cardinals (2004-05).
He is set to join Helton as the only two Rockies to have their numbers retired.
Since Walker’s departure from the Rockies in 2004, the No. 33 had not been available for players to use, with a notable exception: When fellow Canuck Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.) signed with the club prior to the 2014 season, he asked Walker for permission to wear number 33.
“Larry Walker carried all five tools, and was the most instinctive player I have ever seen play the game,” said Rockies Owner/Chairman & CEO Dick Monfort in a statement on Friday. “He put together 17 incredible years in the big leagues. Number 33 hanging in Coors Field will be a constant reminder of the vast talent of Larry Walker that we were all so lucky to witness here in Colorado.”