Larry Walker, the former Colorado Rockies and Montreal Expos star, is going into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday. He was one of baseball's best hitters in that era, and the 54-year-old set the internet ablaze (again) during the induction ceremony thanks to the man who lives in a pineapple under the sea.
When Walker received the call that he was heading to Cooperstown in January 2020, he wore a SpongeBob SquarePants shirt. The shirt also sent a subtle message, as it read, "Ain't no ordinary sponge."
Larry gets the call to the Hall. #HOF2020 pic.twitter.com/qDNSipAQsF
— MLB (@MLB) January 21, 2020
During the induction ceremony, Walker reminded everyone that you're never too old for SpongeBob.
The gray and black suit Walker wore during the event had a small splash of yellow. The three-time batting champion took the stage wearing a SpongeBob lapel pin.
His love for the Nickelodeon character is real and everlasting.
Larry Walker wearing a Spongebob pin for his Hall of Fame induction...he's ready. pic.twitter.com/IG3QfVb3lQ
— Cut4 (@Cut4) September 8, 2021
The now-iconic shirt Walker wore during his election call will also be immortalized in Cooperstown.
The shirt is on display in the Hall, right next to Joe West's umpire mask. Did he know wearing that piece of clothing would end up being a part of baseball history when he wore it? Probably not, but having SpongeBob in Cooperstown brings Walker's adoration for the cartoon character and his Hall of Fame journey full circle.
Larry Walker making his love of Spongebob one of the most prominent parts of Hall-of-Fame induction is the crossover event and recurring bit that I never knew I needed pic.twitter.com/Ft26QbDoNq
— Joon 이준엽 (@joonlee) September 8, 2021
Walker, who played in the majors for 17 seasons, was a five-time All-Star and won the NL MVP award in 1997. He finished his career with 383 home runs, 1,311 RBIs and a batting average of .313.
