Elliott: Walker's call to Hall almost enough to trigger "tear ductitis"

Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott (second from right) receives advice from (left to right) Holly Gentemann (Kingston, Ont.), Alexis Brudnicki (London, Ont.) and Stefanie Wright (Tprpnto, Ont.) prior to throwing out the first pitch at Rogers Centre on July 16, 2012 . Photo: Toronto Sun

January 21, 2020

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Not to make this about me .... but the guy I am writing about was a tad busy Tuesday night.

Very early I was diagnosed with a chronic case of “tear ductitis.” My father passed it on to me and I passed it on to both of my children.

It’s not a serious malady but it can come on suddenly as tears will come out of both eyes. They could be sad, or happy tears or tears of pride. Really bad cases of TD come with chronic swelling around the eyes and spontaneous outburst usually flowed by “Oh … no, here I go again!’”

In 2012, before I was honoured with the J.G. Taylor Spink award at Cooperstown, the Blue Jays asked me to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. A lot of planning goes into pre-game events. Scripts are marked out to the 30-second mark. I knew that for 15 years as president of the Toronto chapter, which meant handing out the Blue Jays players of the year or Cy Young awards.

This was different. I had to be in foul ground by first base half an hour before the first pitch. There I saw Holly Gentemann (Kingston, Ont.), who explained I had to be in the third base photographer’s booth alongside the dugout 10 minutes before.

I can’t recall whether it was Stefanie Wright or Gentemann who then explained the scoreboard would show a two-minute video and then with 20 seconds left in the video the mascot, ACE, would grab my hand take me to the mound.

The conversation went something like this:

“I’m not being led around by a mascot -- what do you mean video? What’s the video about?”

You.”

Marnie Starkman (Mississauga, Ont.), the Jays sly scoreboard whiz at the time, had compiled a secret video likely during the early hours of spring training. The likes of broadcaster Jerry Howarth, writers Mr. John Lott, then of the National Post, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi and columnist Richard Griffin, also a great campaign manager, were saying nice things about me. Scribe Alexis Brudnicki was near by and I said “well I’m keeping my head down ... am not watching a second or there will be tears -- and I have to throw a strike.”

Half-way through I looked up as Mr. Lott was speaking about my top 100 list and there was a picture of me interviewing Walker. A case of tear ductitis set in. Why? I’m not sure. I have zero idea at the time

Walker and I did not go to high school together. We were not dear friends. He played for the Expos, after I had moved to Toronto, although I had written on him plenty.

Later I decided the reason was the fact I saw him and thought of all he had done for ball playing Canadians in this country, what he meant to youngsters on the sandlots and it gave me chills. Back then I had a habit of asking members of the Canadian Junior National Team or those attending the Mizuno camp at SkyDome sets of questions like “Who is your favourite player in the majors or your favourite Canadian?” Tell me about “your best game ever.” Or who would “You like to grow up to be like?” The stories would run on the Canadian Baseball Network.

If I had a dollar for ever time I scribbled down Walker as a teenager’s answer, I’d be a millionaire.

And BC players would boast “You know I’ve played at Larry Walker Field in Ridge Meadows, BC. Everyone wanted to play well when we were on THAT diamond.”

With two three-pitch bullpens under my belt (displaced fracture of the humerus bone) I flew open delivering my pitch -- least that is what I guess as Canadian pitching coaches Remo Cardinale (Thornhill, Ont.) or Marc Picard (Windsor, Ont.) would have said. Picard may have added “Mr Elliott, what were you thinking there?”

Thankfully former Gold Glover winner Omar Vizquel was there to pick the ball out of the dirt -- or else the ball may have gone to the screen.

A photographer gave me a ball and a pen. Yet I was shaking so much I couldn’t sign it. That’s when Vizquel said, “Bobby, I think I am supposed to sign for you.”

* * *
Not to make this about me .... but the guy I am writing about is a tad busy flying into New York.

In 2015, in Ajax, Canada was down to its last out trailing by a run in extra innings playing for the gold medal in the Pan Am Games. Tyler O’Neill was up with runners on first and second. Walker was coaching first and told runner Peter Orr during a Team USA pitching change: “He’s going to gap one, you’re going to run like hell, I’ll meet you at home plate when you score the winning run, you hug the players, I’ll hug Ernie Whitt and the rest of the coaches.”

And that’s sort of what happened. A wild pick off throw into foul ground down the right field line allowed Skyler Stromsmoe to score the tying run from second. The U.S. right fielder let loose a mighty heave which sailed over third. After sliding into third, Orr jumped up and headed home. The throw beat him, but his head first slide knocked the ball loose to give Canada it’s second straight gold medal.

It was a snatching victory from defeat finish to rival Mookie Wilson’s ground ball through the legs of Billy Buckner in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series or Kirk Gibson’s home run off Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

Covering the Blue Jays or any other big-league team you go into the clubhouse 10 minutes after the game. It’s called the locker room in hockey or the “Excuse Room” as the legendary columnist Scott Young nicknamed it.

At international events like the Olympics or the Pan Am Games the people in the blazers don’t allow the press inside. So, writers stand by the fence and call to someone to come over to talk. You won’t believe this but the winners stop more often than the losers.

Everyone stood silently at the far left field end of the dugout and then our anthem started. I’d been to three Olympic Games -- the sailing portion of the 1976 Montreal Olympics staged in Kingston, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics. Never once had I heard our anthem. It had been played but I was always at another facility. I thought I can’t let all these young writers see me have tear ductitis.

So being a wise old man I headed to the other end of the screened-in dugout. The first thing I saw was our flag being raised. More tear ductitis. The second thing I saw was 3B coach Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.) and Walker. The tall Canuck had his arm wrapped around the other. I recall one wiping tears away.

Could this tear ductitis virus be spreading?

* * *
Not to make this about me ... but the father of the newest Hall of Famer was at home in BC to watch what would happen on his son’s 10th and final time on the ballot. Global’s Jay Janower phoned Walker’s father, also named Larry, and asked if was possible to bring a camera crew to the house.

“I told Jay ‘well, it might be good, it might be bad,’ a year ago I think Larry was at 76% of the public votes and it dipped (to 54.6%),” said Walker’s father, who planned on watching with his wife Heather.

Then, the father received a call from his son “about a 10-second call, a camera crew was coming into his house.” Pops said he would phone his son later.

On the MLB Network feed, new Cooperstown boss Tim Mead read “our first selectee was a five-tool player respected for his instincts in all phases, today Larry Walker becomes the first position player and second Canadian to be elected ...”

Somewhere in there were screams of joy from Larry Walker’s father and his wife Heather.

“I was always pretty much a calm, cool and collected guy at any of Larry’s games,” said papa Walker, who told Global-TV: “I get so mixed up in my words because I’m so darn excited,”

“Watching TV ... well, I was pretty damn excited. You know I don’t get surprised often I had tears in my eyes.

Obviously a case of tear ductitis.

* * *

When the clip of Walker getting the actual call in Jupiter, Fla,, was played you heard Baseball Writers of America Association guru Jackie O’Connell introduce himself and say “Larry you won’t have to wait any longer ... Congratulations.”

Walker’s brother, Carey Walker, who played goal for eight seasons in the minors after being selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 12th round in 1977, now lives in Vinton, Va. outside of Roanake. That was him to Larry’s right with the white beard.

Brother Gary and a partner run a wholesale fish business in New Westminster, while brother Barry lives in Kelowna and Logan is attending Simon Fraser University. Also on hand was Chris Pollock a partner in Walker’s California businesses.

* * *
Excited emails, texts and excited phone calls flooded in:

“What a great day for baseball in the country. It all started when Wayne Norton placed him on Team BC, back in the day.” —Walt Burrows (Brentwood Bay, BC) area scout, Canada. Minnesota Twins.

“Congratulations to Larry Walker a true Canadian out of Maple Ridge BC. Playing with Larry Walker and Scott Mann (Oshawa, Ont.) and Hall of Famer Randy Johnston who all played for the class-A West Palm Beach Expos under coach Felipe Alou and double-A Jacksonville Expos under coach Tommy Thompson. The great Jim Fanning of the Expos put together three young Canadians players on one team. We called it the Canadian dream team. Larry gone on to have an amazing career and we’re so proud of his accomplishments.” — Andy Lawrence (Mississauga, Ont.).

“Such a great day for Canadian baseball. At the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians 50th anniversary celebrations last summer, Lori said why are you bidding on that baseball, do you really need another signed ball in the mancave? And who is Larry Walker? Told her it is a ball signed by the greatest Canadian ball player in big-league History, and I had a good feeling he would get into HOF in 2020.” _ Perer Rywak (Ottawa, Ont.)

“‘Bout time. Very nice indeed!!” — Michael Arundel, PIMCO Investments LLC, of Atlanta.

“The happiness in his face, the smile and the whole way he reacted gave me a tear or two, I was so happy for him in his final year,” said a veteran sandlot coach.

* * *
Interviewed on MLB Network Canada’s best position player was asked about going in with New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter.

Walker asked the MLB Network panel if “they remembered those old 45 records we had.” Derek is the A side, Walker said, the hit song ... I’m the B side, the other song no one has ever heard of before.”

There was laughter on set and off.

“We laughed our heads off -- that’s him, he’s never short for words,” said the father of the new Hall of Famer.

The father showed the Global camera crew his collection: the ball his son hit for his first hit in the majors, his first extra-base hit, his first home run. Larry Walker even had his son’s bat for class-A Utica his first pro season, hanging under framed Expos, Rockies and Cardinals uniforms.


* * *
Not to make this about me .... but the guy I am writing about is a tad busy Tuesday night.

I stood in front of the TV as Mead started off with “five-tool player.”

I clapped my hands twice and sat down to write.

Next July may be different but on Tuesday, maybe with my new-found maturity, is there a chance I could be growing out of my “tear ductitis?”