Larry Walker is a Hall of Fame inducted MLB right fielder for the Colorado Rockies, Montreal Expos, and St. Louis Cardinals. In 1997, he became the only player in major league history to register both a .700 slugging percentage (SLG) and 30 stolen bases in the same season, on his way to winning the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). The first player in more than 60 years to record a batting average of .360 in three consecutive seasons from 1997 to 1999, Walker also won three NL batting championships. He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2009, and was named the 13th-greatest sporting figure from Canada by Sports Illustrated in 1999. In 2020, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and will become the first member of the Hall to be depicted in a Rockies uniform on his plaque. Widely considered a five-tool talent of prodigious athleticism and instincts, Walker hit for both average and power, combined with well above-average speed, defense, and throwing strength and accuracy. He was recognized as the top Canadian athlete in 1998 with the Lou Marsh Trophy. Other honors include five MLB All-Star selections, seven Gold Glove Awards, three Silver Slugger Awards, and nine Tip O'Neill Awards. His career SLG of .565 ranks 12th all-time. Walker is one of only 19 hitters in history to accomplish a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage (OBP), and .500 SLG with at least 5,000 plate appearances, and one of six whose careers began after 1960. Considering advanced metrics, he is one of only three players in history to rank within the top 100 of each batting runs, base-running runs, and defensive runs saved; the others are Barry Bonds and Willie Mays.
