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Ex-Pitcher Recording His Biggest Walk

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From Associated Press

Jim Rooker had plenty of walks and strikeouts in a 12-year major league pitching career, but he has never struck out on a walk like this.

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ announcer hopes to last 12 days on “Rook’s Unintentional Walk,” a 315-mile trek across Pennsylvania that started today in Philadelphia and resulted from a quip made during a June 8 broadcast.

The Pirates seemed on their way to ending a six-game losing streak by taking a 10-0 lead in the first inning in Philadelphia.

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“If we lose this game, I’ll walk home,” Rooker, 47, told broadcast partner John Sanders.

“You’ll have to,” Sanders said.

“I won’t have to, but I will,” Rooker said.

The Pirates wound up losing 15-11, but Rooker accompanied them home. Back in Pittsburgh, so many fans questioned Rooker about the off-the-cuff comment, he agreed to walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh for charity.

Rooker, who will be accompanied by a support crew in a motor home, plans to walk a minimum of 18 miles and a maximum of 33 miles a day, weather permitting.

Rooker knows the walk could have been worse.

“I could have said it in Los Angeles,” he said.

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