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Larry Kenneth Robert Walker (born December 1, 1966) is a Canadian former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos (1989–1994), Colorado Rockies (1995–2004), and St. Louis Cardinals (2004–2005). He announced his retirement after Game 6 of the 2005 National League Championship Series. ==Early life and career== Born in 1966 to parents of Scottish descent, Walker grew up playing ice hockey and dreamed of a career in the NHL as a goaltender, only playing baseball for fun during the summer. At the age of 16, he was offered tryouts with Junior A teams in Regina, SK and Kelowna, BC, but after getting cut from both teams, Walker decided to focus his athletic aspirations on baseball. Walker was selected to join the Canadian team at the 1984 World Youth Championships in Saskatchewan. At that tournament, he caught the eye of Montreal Expos scouting director Jim Fanning, who signed Walker for $1500, despite Walker's relative lack of experience playing organized baseball.〔(DeMarco, Tony, "Larry Walker: Canadian Rocky" ''Sports Publishing LLC'', 1999, p. 6–10. Retrieved through Google Books 4/24/11 )〕 Although he could hit fastballs well, Walker was unprepared for the more sophisticated pitches he encountered during his first season as a professional with the Utica Blue Sox and struggled at the plate, finishing with a .223 average and only 2 home runs. Walker feared he would be released, but Expos hitting coach Ralph Rowe successfully argued that Walker should be sent to the Florida Instructional League. With further tutelage, Walker soon developed into one of the Expos' best young prospects, overcoming a serious knee injury along the way.〔(Montville, Leigh, "The Accidental Ballplayer" ''Sports Illustrated'', 4/5/1993. Accessed 4/24/11 )〕 Walker made his debut with the Montreal Expos on August 16, 1989. He walked twice and recorded a single in his first official at bat.〔(DeMarco, Tony, "Larry Walker: Canadian Rocky" ''Sports Publishing LLC'', 1999, p.15. Retrieved through Google Books 4/24/11 )〕 During his first several seasons, he was an above average hitter in all respects, hitting for some power, stealing 20–30 bases, and regularly batting near the .300 mark, becoming a role model for thousands of young Canadian baseball players. He became the first and only Canadian to win the Expos Player of The Year, doing so in 1992. In 1994, Walker was well on his way to his first 100-RBI year, with 86 RBI. However, that season was interrupted due to the 1994 players' strike. Before the 1995 season, Walker signed with the Colorado Rockies. In 1995, Walker was a major factor in helping Colorado reach the playoffs for the first time, hitting .306 with 36 home runs and 101 RBI.〔("Larry Walker Statistics and History" ''www.baseball-reference.com''. Accessed 4/24/11 )〕 He remains in the top ten in many offensive categories for the Rockies.〔(""Colorado Rockies Top 10 Batting Leaders"" ''www.baseball-reference.com''. Accessed 4/24/11 )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Larry Walker」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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