Walker Weekend: The Colorado Rockies Baseball team made a weekend of honoring its first Hall of Famer, Larry Walker. Several special banners were obvious throughout the ballpark and on the jumbotron, the huge video screen above left field. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Introduction: Some 45,000 fans stand as Larry Walker is introduced prior to speaking at the ceremony in his honor at Coors Field Sept. 25. The Hall of Fame inductee spoke about his baseball career, 10 years in a Rockies uniform, and recent induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos

We are at home for a few weeks while we have some work done at our house so this week’s Post From the Road is unique. We were able to attend a baseball game at Coors Field last weekend. While the game was nothing out of the ordinary, the festivities around the game were very special.

All three games last weekend were referred to as “Larry Walker Weekend”. Larry Walker is a former Rockies’ player who was inducted Sept. 8 into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Last weekend was Denver’s turn to honor the former super star outfielder as the first Colorado Rockies player ever to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. Walker was in attendance all weekend, but Saturday was his “big day”.

The Colorado Rockies not only honored Walker with gifts but the team “retired” his jersey number 33, meaning no other Rockie will be allowed to wear that number. This is perhaps the top honor a team can bestow to any former player. A special pregame ceremony was held in Walker’s honor. A former player, former General Manager, and the owner of the Colorado Rockies baseball team spoke each with their thanks and accolades to Larry Walker, each from their personal point of view.

The final speaker was Larry Walker as he spoke of his start in baseball, his 10 years spent with the Colorado Rockies, his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, which is the greatest honor any baseball player can achieve.

The ceremony was concluded with Larry Walker throwing out the “ceremonial first pitch” of the game. Receiving the first pitch was none other than Larry Walker’s 83-year-old dad. Both mom and dad as well as Walker’s two daughters attended the ceremony.

While the baseball game itself was less than ceremonial to Rockies fans (the Rockies lost), the pregame ceremony honoring one of baseball’s great players was a thrill for any baseball fan to witness. Colorado Rockies fans have hopes that another former super star will be voted into the Hall of Fame in the next few years. If I am well and able, I will be in attendance for that ceremony when it takes place as well.

Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post. 

First Pitch: Following Walker’s speech at the ceremony in his honor, Larry Walker threw out the ‘ceremonial first pitch’ of the game. Receiving the pitch is Walker’s 83-year-old dad. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Honor Plaques: (Left) During the ceremony at Coors Field in his honor, Larry Walker’s jersey number 33 was retired by the organization. A large plaque will hang in right field with other honorees and no Rockie player will ever wear number 33. (Right) The National Baseball Hall of Fame plaque with Walker’s name will forever hang at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. However, the plaque was removed and transported to Denver for the Colorado Rockies ceremony honoring their first Hall of Famer, Larry Walker. During the first few innings of the game, the plaque was on display for fans to see and photograph. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Sunset: The final rays of the sunset shine beyond left field during a very special day for former Rockies player, Larry Walker. Perhaps there will be another Hall of Fame honoree in coming years to be honored at Coors Field. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com