by Kevin Polo (Lawson, MO)
One of my favorite memories was watching Larry Walker’s at-bat against Randy Johnson in the 1997 All Star Game.
Walker, and left-handed hitter, was flirting with .400 and had taken himself out of the line-up against the imposing lefty in an interleague game. So what did the Big Unit do when Walker stepped to the plate in the second inning?
First pitch. To the backstop. Classic.
Somewhere John Kruk had to be chuckling.
But the fun-loving Walker played it perfectly. He removed his helmet, turned it around and stepped over into the right-handed batter’s box.
It was showmanship at its best.
The at-bat may have only resulted in a walk, but moments like these are what make the baseball All Star Game a true Midsummer Classic!
