LUBBOCK, Texas — Former LSU all-America second baseman Todd Walker has been selected for induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Walker is one of 10 players and coaches comprising the 2009 Hall of Fame induction class.
Walker will become the third LSU representative to enter the Hall of Fame, joining former coach Skip Bertman (inducted 2006) and former all-America pitcher Ben McDonald (inducted 2008).
The 2009 inductees will be honored on July 3 as part of the College Baseball Foundation’s annual celebration of both the past and present of college baseball from July 2 through July 4 in Lubbock.
Former players joining Walker in the 2009 Hall of Fame class are Joe Carter, outfielder, Wichita State; Darren Dreifort, pitcher/DH, Wichita State; Kirk Dressendorfer, pitcher, Texas; Barry Larkin, shortstop, Michigan; Keith Moreland, catcher/utility, Texas; Rafael Palmeiro, outfielder, Mississippi State; Ron Polk, coach, Georgia Southern, Mississippi State, Georgia.
Also among the 2009 Hall of Fame class are one Vintage-Era inductee and the first “small school” inductee. Branch Rickey, player and coach from Ohio Wesleyan and Michigan is the Vintage-Era inductee. The Vintage-Era designation is for those who played or coached prior to 1947.
Gordie Gillespie, head coach at the University of St. Francis, is the small-school inductee. His career at Lewis University and St. Francis has seen him become the winningest coach in college baseball history. The “small school” designation is for two and four-year schools other than NCAA Division I.
Hall of Fame inductees are chosen based on the votes of more than 110 representatives from coast to coast. Voters include retired and active coaches, media members and previous inductees.
To be eligible for the College Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, players must have completed one year of competition at a two-year institution in the CCCAA or NJCAA or a four-year NCAA (Division I, II or III) or NAIA institution. Ballot-eligible coaches must have retired or be active and no less than 75 years old.
Walker, a 1998 graduate of LSU, was one of the greatest hitters in SEC history. A first team All-American two years in a row (1993-94), Walker led LSU to a national championship in 1993 as he earned the College World Series MVP award that year. He was named first-team All-SEC three times and was the SEC Player of the Year in 1993.
Walker finished his career as the SEC all-time leader in hits, runs, RBI and total bases. During his major league career from 1996-2007, Walker played for the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics.
Walker was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.
Carter, who played at Wichita State from 1979 to 1981, was named National Player of the Year by Sporting News in 1981. A two-time first-team All-American, he was twice named MVP of the Missouri Valley Conference and three times named to the All-MVC team. In 2007, he was the top vote-getter when the MVC chose its All-Centennial baseball team.
Dreifort led Wichita State to consecutive College World Series appearances from 1991 to 1993, including appearances in both the 1991 and 1993 final games. The winner of Golden Spikes and Smith Awards in 1993, he was a two-time first-team All-American and All-MVC performer. He was the 1993 MVC Pitcher of the Year and in 2007 he was named to the MVC All-Centennial team as both a designated hitter and relief pitcher.
Dressendorfer, who pitched at Texas from 1988 to 1990, was a three-time first team All-American, making him one of only 11 in history to be so honored. His 45 wins made him one of the most decorated players in Southwest Conference history as he won three SWC MVP awards and three All-SWC team honors. He also was named to three All-SWC Postseason Tournament Teams.
Gillespie represents the new “small school” category. He is the first non-Division I inductee and also the first active head coach inductee. He remains active at the University of St. Francis (IL) at age 82 and his 1,783 wins entering the 2009 campaign make him college baseball’s all-time winningest coach.
Larkin was a two-time first-team All-American shortstop. He was the first two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and in 1983 he was the Big Ten Postseason Tournament MVP. He twice led the Wolverines to the College World Series and finished his career with a .361 batting average.
Moreland was a three-time first-team All-Southwest Conference performer as a third baseman at the University of Texas, and twice named first-team All-American (1973, 1975). He helped lead the Longhorns to three consecutive Southwest Conference crowns, three straight NCAA Regional/District titles, a trio of College World Series appearances and the 1975 National Championship. His teams went a combined 160-21 in his three seasons.
Palmeiro, along with Dressendorfer, was one of only 11 players in history to be named first-team All-American three times. He was twice named All-Southeastern Conference and was an SEC All-Tournament Team selection in 1983. In 1984, he was the SEC’s first triple crown winner with a .415 batting average, 29 home runs and 94 RBIs.
Polk is one of only three coaches to lead three different schools to the College World Series ? Georgia Southern, Mississippi State and the University of Georgia. He concluded his 35-year career as a head coach last spring with a career record of 1,373-700-2 (.662). His teams made eight College World Series appearances, won five SEC championships and made 23 Regional appearances.
Perhaps best known for signing Jackie Robinson to a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Rickey was named the most influential figure of the 20th century in sports by ESPN. He played his first two seasons at Ohio Wesleyan before signing a professional contract, whereupon he assumed the head coaching duties. While playing for the St. Louis Browns, he coached baseball and football at Allegheny College.
Upon completion of his playing career, Rickey began studies at the University of Michigan Law School. He served double-duty in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines baseball coach, where his most famous pupil was Hall of Famer George Sisler. A Hall of Famer himself, Rickey later embarked on a career as a major league manager and executive and is credited with creating the concept of farm systems as well as the batting helmet.
For more information about the 2009 National College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Class or the Hall of Fame events, contact Dr. Mike Gustafson at gus@collegebaseballfoundation.org or Jeff Chase at jeff@collegebaseballfoundation.org.