Larry Walker
| Birthdate | 12/1/1966 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1989 |
| Year of Induction | 2020 |
| Teams | Cardinals, Expos, Rockies |
| Position | Right Field |
The only player in MLB history to post a season with a .700 slugging % and 30 stolen bases, former MVP Larry Walker was a 3-time batting champ.
Leave a commentIn the collection:
In 1995, the Rockies became the second team with four 30-HR hitters
In 1995, the Rockies became the second team with four 30-HR hitters
When Coors Field in Colorado opened on April 26, 1995, it became one of the most homer-friendly stadiums in the history of the game. Situated at 2001 Blake Street, the high-altitude stadium helped produce baseball’s second 30-homer quarter.
Hall of Fame right fielder Larry Walker had his first 100-RBI season in ’95, hitting 36 bombs. He was joined by left fielder Dante Bichette who slugged an NL-leading 40 homers, third baseman Vinny Castilla who hit 32, and first baseman Andres Galarraga who hit 31. Together they were dubbed, “The Blake Street Bombers“.
In the collection is this first day cover postmarked on April 26, 1995 from the Coors Field postal station the day the stadium opened. The envelope is signed by all four members of the Rockies 30-homer foursome.
Playing at Coors Field greatly aided Walker's offensive performance
Playing at Coors Field greatly aided Walker's offensive performance
Shown here is a closeup of the Larry Walker signature from the previous image. Walker is the first man to represent the Colorado Rockies in Cooperstown. The Rockies home stadium is one of the most hitter-friendly in the last half-century of Major League Baseball.
So just how much did playing in Coors Field pad Walker’s stats? In just under 2500 at bats in Rockies home games from 1995-2004 Walker put up a .464 on-base percentage to go along with a gaudy .384 batting average. His slugging percentage was an astounding .715. For his career, Walker’s road numbers were far off of those numbers as he slashed .278/.370/.495.
Some believe Walker’s induction opens the door for other Colorado players with solid Cooperstown resumes. Time will tell for the likes of Todd Helton and Nolan Arenado.
Whatever your feelings about the Coors Field effect, Larry Walker was an outstanding hitter who is now a member of Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
He deserved it !! That being said, why isn’t Dwight Evans in the Hall ?