▁spent ▁his ▁youth ▁playing ▁street ▁hockey ▁with ▁cons uming ▁N HL ▁go alt ender ▁asp ir ations . ▁That ▁dream ▁never ▁material ized ; ▁however , ▁the ▁Ex pos ▁saw ▁his ▁baseball ▁potential ▁and ▁signed ▁him ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Walker ▁became ▁their ▁starting ▁right ▁fiel der , ▁prop elling ▁them ▁to ▁the ▁maj ors ' ▁best ▁record ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁when ▁that ▁year ' s ▁strike ▁stopped ▁their ▁first ▁serious ▁World ▁Series ▁run . ▁He ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁Rock ies ▁as ▁a ▁free ▁agent ▁following ▁the ▁season , ▁and , ▁during ▁a ▁six - year ▁period ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁was ▁the ▁major ▁league ▁batt ing ▁leader ▁three ▁times ▁while ▁finishing ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁N L ▁twice . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁also ▁led ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁home ▁runs , ▁O B P , ▁and ▁SL G , ▁while ▁joining ▁the ▁ 3 0 – 3 0 ▁club , ▁register ing ▁ 1 2 ▁out field ▁ass ists ▁and ▁leading ▁his ▁position ▁with ▁four ▁double ▁plays ▁turned ; ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁N L ▁N VP ▁Award ▁that ▁year . ▁Des iring ▁a ▁trade ▁to ▁a ▁cont ending ▁team , ▁the ▁Rock ies ▁sent ▁Walker ▁to ▁St . ▁Louis ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁their ▁ 1 0 5 - win ▁season ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁where ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁World ▁Series ▁appearance ▁while ▁t ying ▁or ▁setting ▁three ▁Card