Friends, family and Walker Buehler’s very chatty and charming nine-month-old daughter Finley, helped Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton with a very special proclamation Monday Morning in City Hall.
“Whereas we congratulate Walker on his many achievements and wish him continued success.” Mayor Gorton laughed as Finley cooed into the mic. Gorton continued, “See, this is the kind of excitement we are all about. Now therefore, I, Linda Gordon, mayor of Lexington, do hereby declare November 18, 2024, Walker Buehler Day in Lexington. Congratulations.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher started playing in the majors in 2017, leading to two World Series rings, one in 2020, the second this year.
“You kind of plan that celebration your whole life, right, when you're a kid in the backyard. And we had a couple of those this year. Freddie Freeman's home run was kind of a similar situation,” Buehler said. “And it, it's one of those things that something just happens and, and kind of everything changes. And you know, there's 40 guys on, on that roster that have kind of worked all year to get to that point and to be able to throw the last pitch was pretty special for me.”
Also special to Buehler, being able to use his success to help others. He announced a donation of physical therapy equipment to local first responders through the Buehler Family Foundation.
“Being born and raised here and our family being here, my wife's family from being here, I think, you know, having some sort of legacy here is, you know, the important thing for me. Obviously, the baseball stuff. There there's millions of kids who play baseball and some of us get lucky enough to get to the major leagues, but I think doing something with it that's positive is kind of what I want to do in the end,” Buehler said.
Buehler learned to play the game right here in Lexington and honed his skills at Henry Clay High School. He also learned the importance of community and helping others, something he says he’ll continue long after his baseball career is behind him.
