January 24, 2020

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

No doubt, Canadian ball fans were as pleased as I was upon hearing of Larry Walker’s induction into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown.

When you examine his remarkable resume below, the question comes to mind ... “Why did it take 10 years for him to get in?”

No matter how long the wait was, the Baseball Writers Association of America voters got it right this time.

Now along with RHP Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.), RF Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) will officially be a member of the most exclusive club in baseball, with a plaque in Cooperstown. Bob Elliott (Kingston, Ont.) has his picture hanging there as a J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner.

Larry Walker’s Accomplishments

1990 Baseball Digest Magazine - Rookie All Star Team

1992 Named Montreal Expos Player of the Year

1992 Winner of Sport British Columbia’s Athlete of the Year Award

1997 Winner of Sport British Columbia’s Athlete of the Year Award

1998 Winner of Sport British Columbia’s Athlete of the Year Award

1997 Baseball Digest Magazine - Player of the Year

1997 Winner Player’s Choice Award - National League’s Outstanding Player

1998 Winner of ESPY Award - Best Player in Baseball

1998 Winner Lionel Conacher Award - Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year

1998 Winner Lou Marsh Trophy - Canada’s Top Athlete Professional or Amateur

1997 Named Colorado Rockies Player of the Year

1999 Named Colorado Rockies Player of the Year

1998 National League Batting Champion ( .363 )

1999 National League Batting Champion ( .379 )

2001 National League Batting Champion ( .350 )

1992 National League All Star

1997 National League All Star

1998 National League All Star

1999 National League All Star

2001 National League All Star

1992 National League Gold Glove Winner

1993 National League Gold Glove Winner

1997 National League Gold Glove Winner

1998 National League Gold Glove Winner

1999 National League Gold Glove Winner

2001 National League Gold Glove Winner

2002 National League Gold Glove Winner

1997 National League Most Valuable Player

1992 National League Silver Slugger Award

1997 National League Silver Slugger Award

1999 National League Silver Slugger Award

1987 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award

1990 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award

1992 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award

1995 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award

1995 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award

1997 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award

1998 Winner of Canadian Baseball of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award

2001 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award (with Corey Koskie)

2002 Winner of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award (with Eric Gagne)

2007 Inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame

2008 Inducted onto Baseball Canada’s Wall of Excellence in Ottawa, Ont.

2009 Inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

2009 Inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame

2011 Inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

2020 Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown ( NY )