"One door closes and another one opens. That's the way it was with running into the wall," Dillon's Steve Walker said.

It was the second to last game of the 1967 minor league baseball season and Steve Walker was playing centerfield for the Double-A Williamsport (Pa.) Mets. When a deep fly ball was hit in his direction, Walker quickly pursued it. Because the field had no warning track, the aspiring big leaguer from Gunnison ran full-tilt into the outfield wall and ended up with a broken shoulder. In the wake of the injury, he was sent back down to Single-A and his professional baseball career was soon over.

After undergoing an extensive shoulder rehabilitation, Walker enlisted in the U.S. Army. For four years, he was stationed back and forth between Vietnam and Germany and was ultimately wounded fighting the Vietnam War.

Despite his shoulder injury and decision to serve his country, Walker never forgot about baseball. While stationed in Berlin, he played on a team with his brigade.

"It worked out really well," Walker said. "In the military there was a lot of competition between brigades and they all had baseball teams. Especially after being in Vietnam, playing ball was a great thing to do."

Following his days in the military, Walker became president of Summit County Youth Baseball, a position he held for 20 years. He has also coached Summit players at both the little league and high school levels.

Even though his coaching days are officially over, he still can't resist teaching moments when he encounters them.

"I really liked working with kids," Walker said. "I still do it. When I see a neighbor throwing incorrectly, I'll stop them and show them some mechanics so they won't hurt themselves."

Growing up, Walker's favorite player was Mickey Mantle. Today, he says that Barry Bonds is his least favorite player.

"My feeling is that they should have two leagues," he said. "The steroid league and the non-steroid league."



What is your greatest baseball memory?

"It was meeting Roberto Clemente during my rookie season. I was in Single-A, but during spring training, everyone was together; the farm teams and the big leaguers. He came up to me and said, 'I hear we have another Walker in camp.' I said, 'Excuse me?' and he informed me that his full name was Roberto Clemente Walker ... He was so proud of being Latin American, I think it was a driving force. He was also a real perfectionist."



Did you meet any other famous big leaguers?

"I met Nolan Ryan while I was playing for the Double-A Mets in '67. Now he reminds me of the character Wild Thing in the movie 'Major League.' He wasn't that radical with a motorcycle and everything, but as far as throwing, he was wild. He was tall, lanky and he had heat. The ball was all over the place and I was terrified. I didn't want to get killed."