Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 30, 1990 TAG: 9006290516
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Long
The Pulaski Braves' outfielder wants to follow in the cleat marks of a couple other noted two-sport pros: Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders.
When the Atlanta Braves' organization took Walker in the fourth round of the June amateur draft, one of the first items on the contract talks agenda was a request. No, make that a plea.
Atlanta officials asked Walker to please stop risking limb and bat speed by playing football for the University of Texas.
That would be fine, as long as you pay the proper fee, Walker responded.
"I told them if they paid me a nice bonus, a first-round draft choice's signing bonus, then I wouldn't play any more football," he said.
The Braves pondered that. A top draft choice commands something in the neighborhood of $200,000 these days. The Braves had already paid one such bundle to this year's top choice, high school shortstop Chipper Jones. Ultimately, they balked at handing out two such big-bucks bonuses in one year.
"So I told them that it would be best for all concerned that I go back to the University of Texas for my senior year of football," Walker said.
The Braves didn't like that much, but they signed him anyway, took out an insurance policy on him, and sent him to their Appalachian League outpost in Pulaski.
And then, no doubt, they crossed their fingers.
For Walker, it was almost like a homecoming. Braves pitcher Henry Werland was a teammate at Texas and Walker had been on the same summer teams as Karl Rudison and Juan Williams.
Here is what the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder Walker would consider the ideal scenario for the next couple of years:
First, he has a nice Appy League season, putting himself on schedule to progress to the next level. Then he tears up the Southwest Conference as a wide receiver this fall. Being chosen All America would be nice.
Next comes the 1991 National Football League draft. Walker has been told by his coaches and by a couple of scouts to expect to go in the first three rounds.
As a junior, he led the Longhorns with 55 catches for 785 yards and four touchdowns. For his career, he has 74 catches for 1,002 yards.
Another season similar to 1989 and Walker ought to be in fine position to play two sports professionally.
But he doesn't plan to do that for an extended period.
"I've played two sports ever since I was young, but playing two sports as a pro is entirely different," he said as he relaxed in the dugout before a recent P-Braves game. "It's a tremendous strain on you, not only physically, but mentally. Bo is one of the best-conditioned athletes in the entire world, but I don't think even he can handle it much longer."
But if Bo can't do it for much longer, according to Walker's theory, then what makes Walker think he can do it?
"I've been thinking about this since I was in high school and I've watched Bo and Deion and taken their experience and tried to apply it to myself," Walker said.
One example Bo and Deion have left to their emulators is how to play one sport off against the other for maximum contract leverage. It appears as though Walker and his lawyer already have the hang of that.
But it still doesn't answer the question of how he intends to play pro sports year round.
"I'm going to play both sports until I decide which one I like best and then go with that," he said.
Since it's no sure thing in the development of pro ballplayers, all this talk of doubling up may be 'way premature. Nevertheless, things do seem to be working out in Walker's favor so far, particularly in football.
Down in Austin, they're even talking about fooling around with a kissing cousin of the run-and-shoot offense that helped Houston quarterback Andre Ware win the Heisman last year.
"You know, it's funny," Walker said. "We've gone from a predominantly run-oriented conference to a pass-oriented conference. That's one more reason for me to go back and play football."
Big numbers could be on Walker's statistical horizon.
The first time baseball and football came into conflict in Walker's life was when he was preparing to sign a football scholarship at Texas.
At that point, he told the coaches, sorry, but he wouldn't be available for spring football, as he would be out on the baseball diamond playing for the nationally prominent Longhorns.
"I was drafted out of high school and I made it clear to [Texas recruiters] that I wanted to continue to play baseball," he said.
This past season, he batted .326 with three homers for the 'Horns. Apparently, the Braves liked what they saw. Anybody drafted in the top five rounds is usually considered a major league prospect.
Walker was rated the fastest base runner in college and the 61st best prospect before the the draft by Baseball America.
"As a baseball player, he's had little time to refine his skills and that's been because of football," Braves scouting director Paul Snyder said. "But this year, he had a chance to play a little more and do some things, and we liked what we saw.
"You can look at his armor top to bottom and find only one chink: You wish he threw a little better. But we can work with him and that'll come. He's got good bat speed, good foot speed, good hands. If we can just get him away from football and all the bumping and knocking, we think he can show people that we made a pretty good pick for the fourth round."
But can he be separated from football?
"If I do get drafted [in football], depending on the round, I'll sign," he said. "Then we'll see what happens."
That, of course, isn't the sort of talk the Braves want to hear.
"But you know what?," Snyder said. "I've told him this myself: If I had been him, then I'd probably be doing the same thing."
by CNB