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Larry Walker points at the spot where his Hall of Fame plaque will hang during his orientation tour Feb. 25, 2020. (File)

Colorado slugger becomes first Rockies Hall of Famer

By CHARLIE VASCELLARO • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

Almost 30 years after the Colorado Rockies joined the major leagues as an expansion team in 1993, former Rockies outfielder Larry Walker is the first member of the franchise to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Walker spent 10 of his 17 big-league seasons in a Colorado uniform and his plaque will be the first in the Hall of Fame gallery to feature a Rockies cap. His name is all over the franchise’s leader board in career offensive categories and his 1997 NL MVP remains one of the highlights of the team’s history.

Walker bashed a career-high and National League leading 49 home runs in 1997, with a .366 batting average and 130 RBI, and also led the league with a .452 on-base percentage, a .720 slugging percentage, 409 total bases, and a 1.172 OPS (on base + slugging percentage), becoming the first player to record a .700 slugging percentage with more than 30 stolen bases in the same season.

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