Dave Blatz has had a connection to baseball legend Larry Walker for a long time and he was elated when his friend received the phone call that he would be going into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Blatz first met Walker back in 2005 when they worked for the Baseball Canada program and the two have formed a strong friendship since. Blatz recalled what it was like leading up to Walker being inducted in his final year of eligibility. "All day, it's one of those things that you're texting people who know Larry, people in baseball asking 'what have you heard' and 'what are the numbers at?', stuff like that. You're trying to find out on the internet and stuff  like that." Blatz says with a little smile. "Then at 5:00, your eyes are glued to Twitter and then they announce it wont come till 5:15 but unfortunately I couldn't wait, I had to pick up the kids. Then, all of a sudden the texts started coming, 'Larry's in Larry's in'. Honestly, it was one of those things where I welled up a little in the car.  Knowing Larry and the whole thing he's gone through... the whole journey we've gone through with Baseball Canada with all the travel and discussions we've had, the high times and the low times...it all culminated into absolute exuberance. I shouted in my car I was so excited. It's a big relief. He's in."

To

be elected into the 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame, you need 298 votes and Walker received 76.6% of votes, just over the minimum 75% required. At one point in Walker's career, he was down at 10.6% and almost knocked off the ballot completely. His climb back and into the hall is unprecedented and something that Blatz says there was always one question that would always come up. "How do you keep him out? That's the question that was asked by different major leaguers. He was a 5 tool guy and now managers have come out and talked about how they didn't want to pitch to him. He was the dynamic part of the lineup. It's all in fun now, he loves the game. Like, when he flipped his batting helmet around at the All-Star game vs Randy Johnson. He just loves the game of baseball."

Blatz loved watching the video of Walker, surrounded by his family, finally getting the call he has so long deserved and he says that the family will also feel relieved. "I think it was just pure joy. Pure satisfaction for a really good individual. It's well deserved. They're excited and I think everyone around Canada should be excited. It's really good for the country."

There are a lot of kids that will have never had the chance to see Larry Walker play live or on television but that doesn't stop Blatz from believing that Walker will have an impact across the country when it comes to the baseball program. "It's going to spike the program. We see spikes and drops, like when the Blue Jays are doing well we get more registration. So with this story of Larry Walker and we've had other great stories like Joey Votto and Mike Soroka but Larry being the pioneer, the generational player, I hope we see the numbers increase again."

Of course, the biggest question after getting elected was the choice of shirt that Larry wore. A button-up featuring Sponge Bob Square Pants, a choice that Blatz says doesn't surprise him. "I will be asking him about it but it doesn't surprise me. It's Larry being Larry." 

Throughout the years, Blatz and Walker have gotten close and over the past 10 years when Walker was hoping to get into the Hall of Fame, he never campaigned, never went out looking for votes and for Blatz, that says everything about who Walker is as a person. "It's not him. You put a microphone in front of his face and he's just very humble. He doesn't beat his chest, doesn't present rings or awards. He's just humble. For others to go out and beat the drum for him, that's great. Baseball Canada, Bob Elliot did that, promoting his numbers to people who have never had the chance to see him. For him, it's a huge relief and for the country it is too. He is baseball Canada. I couldn't be happier."

Blatz is already considering heading down to see his friend enshrined. "My wife and I have talked about it a little bit. I would absolutely love it. We've been inducted twice for Canada Baseball but obviously ramp this up. Cooperstown is a bucket list item for sure."

Without a doubt it's a huge honor and Blatz says Walker will enjoy it but, "it won't change him one bit." Blatz says with a grin. "He's a special individual. Will he promote it and show it off? No. He'll have it in his house. He has a nice little shrine with signed baseballs and his gold gloves, that's probably where it will go."

More with Dave Blatz available on the podcast

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