CBN HOF Series: Don Archer on Larry Walker
Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) honed his skills with the Coquitlam Reds under coach Don Archer prior to signing his first professional contract with the Montreal Expos. Photo: CBC News
His home province of British Columbia is sure proud of him, and so are baseball fans all across Canada. To celebrate Maple Ridge, B.C., native Larry Walker becoming the first Canadian position player to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, we will be running a series of tribute articles from many who have known and been inspired by him - including former teammates, managers, coaches and even his dad - leading up to the September 8 ceremony. We will also be publishing tributes to Walker's fellow 2020 inductees Derek Jeter, Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller.
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Larry Walker’s on Larry Walker, Jr. ||||| Steve Rogers on Marvin Miller
Clint Hurdle on Larry Walker IIIII Mario Ziino on Ted Simmons
Stubby Clapp on Larry Walker IIIII Buck Showalter on Derek Jeter
Gene Glynn on Larry Walker IIIII “The Legend” Dick Groch signed Jeter
Allan Simpson on Larry Walker IIIII
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August 29, 2021
By Don Archer
Los Angeles Angels Area Scout and former Coquitlam Reds coach
In late February of 1984, the Coquitlam Reds were starting their outdoor workouts at Mundy Park ... one of the benefits of living in BC, and before everyone had an indoor facility.
Larry lived in Maple Ridge, part of the Reds catchment area and had been picked up by the Delta Bantams to go to the Nationals and I knew he was a premier athlete.
I did not know much about his hockey career, but like Justin Morneau he was a goalie and a darn good one. In September of 1983, he went to the Regina Pats camp and was challenging for a starting job. The Pats had a veteran goalie who was going to start and they wanted to Walker to go to a lower level to get playing time rather than sit as a backup.
He was not thrilled with that option and went home to Maple Ridge a little disillusioned with athletics. In February, I called him asking him to come out with the Reds and finally after five calls -- three to him and two to his parents -- he showed up at one of our workouts and we are all glad he did!
It did not take long to figure out he was our best athlete, a bit raw but very talented. He was a big strapping left-handed bat with a plus arm, good instincts who was sneaky fast. In short, he was a five-tool guy. For us he played shortstop and pitched mostly in relief. One day he struck out six in a row in the sixth and seventh innings against our rivals, the North Shore Twins, when we were up 4-3. He also pitched a no-hitter against Richmond in the BC championships.
Larry really got on the pro radar one late June night in Bellingham Wash. when we were playing their Legion Team. Andy Pienovi of the Chicago Cubs was in the stands. (Andy was later involved with the Blue Jays signing John Olerud.)
On one play their guy hit a soft hump-back liner in front of Larry, he charged it, dove for the ball, caught it and in one motion made a throw to first base to double off the runner.
Later, he one-hopped a ground-rule double into the scoreboard in straight away centre field. He certainly got Andy’s attention!.
Later that summer, Norm Caig, Sandy Robertson and myself were asked to put a 20 and under team into the Grand Forks International Tourney to get ready for the Canada Summer Games the next year. Larry had been with the Junior National Team that summer, so, of course, he was selected to the team. He had an outstanding tournament and had two games in particular where he really stood out.
In our third game against the Lewiston Truckers [Lewis and Clark State’s summer team], he hit two monster home runs and we beat them 6-4. Their coach Ed Chef was not happy a “high school kid” beat them. Next up was the Washington State summer team coached by Bobo Brayton. We lost the game 4-3, but Larry hit another home run. Bobo asked me, “Who is that kid?” He said he has potential big league tools.
In the stands during the tourney was Bob (Whitey) Rogers, a Montreal Expos scout, and needless to say he was interested in interviewing Larry between games. Early that fall, Whitey came calling on the Walker household and he was able to sign Larry to a contract with the Expos to begin what would become a Hall of Fame career.
Bill Green and myself did get to see him play several years later in Seattle when he was with the Colorado Rockies. We met him after the game in their clubhouse. In summation, once Larry was with the Reds, he was all business and listened and learned and used what we gave him. And with his talent, he made it look easy.
One thing I do remember telling him in Grand Forks was that if he went pro, he would end up being an outfielder. He did not believe it at that time but it came to pass, as he became a Hall of Fame right fielder.
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Don Archer has covered the BC Premier League like a tarp since 1992. He coached the Coquitlam Reds, including Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, BC). Besides scouting for the Los Angeles Angels, he has served as an Oregon State University Alumni liaison. With the Angels, he drafted or signed future major leaguers SS Kevin Nicholson (Surrey, BC) and OF Aaron Guiel (Langley, BC).
As well, Archer selected the likes of RHP Evan Bailey (Kamloops, BC), OF David Calabrese (Richmond Hill, Ont.), RHP Mike Monster (Kelowna, BC) and LHP Connor Lills-White (Etobicoke, Ont.) .