Former Rockies Outfielder Larry Walker Elected To National Baseball Hall of Fame
DENVER (CBS4) - Make room in Cooperstown for the Rockies. Former outfield sensation Larry Walker has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Walker garnered 76.6% of the vote in his final year of eligibility.
The superstar has come close in his previous attempts at the Hall of Fame.
Last year was the closest he came, with 54.6 percent of the vote.
To be selected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., a player must garner 75% of the votes from baseball writers around the country. Here's a look at Walker's vote percentage breakdown by year:
- 2011: 20.3 percent
- 2012: 22.9 percent
- 2013: 21.6 percent
- 2014: 10.2 percent
- 2015: 11.8 percent
- 2016: 15.5 percent
- 2017: 21.9 percent
- 2018: 34.1 percent
- 2019: 54.6 percent
Walker will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in a ceremony on July 26. He played for the Rockies over the course of 10 seasons from 1995 to 2004. He won the National League MVP award in 1997. For his time with the Rockies, Walker batted .334 with 258 home runs, 848 RBI, 126 stolen bases, 584 walks, 297 doubles, and 44 triples.
For his career, Walker hit .313, with 383 home runs, 1311 RBI, 126 stolen bases and 913 walks.
Walker came to the Rockies via free agency after the strike-shortened 1994 season. He originally signed a four-year, $22.5 million contract. He will have his #33 jersey number forever enshrined in Rockies history when the team retires his jersey at a ceremony on April 19th before their game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
