Walker’s Hall of Fame induction moved
The Rockies’ Larry Walker will get his moment in the sun. It’s just been delayed again.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday that the class of 2020 will now be inducted on Sept. 8 in an outdoor ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y.
The induction ceremony had been scheduled for July 25 as an indoor, television event without crowds. The new ceremony will take place in front of a limited crowd as coronavirus restrictions ease.
Walker, the first Rockies player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, will be honored along with Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller and Ted Simmons.
“On behalf of our board of directors and our staff, we are thrilled to be able to welcome our Hall of Famers — the living legends — and fans back to Cooperstown to celebrate the induction of the class of 2020,” Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark said in a statement. “Returning the induction ceremony to an outdoor event will provide the baseball community with the opportunity to visit Cooperstown and celebrate the induction of four of the game’s greats.”
No players were elected for induction in the Class of 2021, and the class of 2020 had to wait a year because of the pandemic. It was the first time since 1960 that there was no induction ceremony.
This year’s event will take place on the Hall of Fame’s lawn as a ticketed event. Tickets will be available beginning July 12.
The Hall of Fame’s award presentations will remain on July 24 as an indoor, television-only event.
The presentations include the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Career Excellence Awards for 2020 to the late Nick Cafardo, and for 2021 to Dick Kaegel.
The Ford C. Frick Awards for broadcasting excellence will be presented to Ken Harrelson (2020) and Al Michaels (2021). David Montgomery will receive the 2020 Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award.
With the re-scheduling of Walker’s induction, the Rockies also re-scheduled the date to retire his No. 33 at Coors Field. Instead of Aug. 21 against Arizona, it will be Sept. 25 against the Giants, with a Walker Hall of Fame bobblehead as the giveaway.