In a long overdue move, the Cincinnati Reds will retire Barry Larkin's No. 11, the team announced in a press release...

National Baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin’s career with the Cincinnati Reds will be honored with “11 Days of Larkin," a series of celebrations from August 16-26 that will include the retirement of his uniform number 11 on Saturday, August 25. That pre-game ceremony at Great American Ball Park will begin at 3:00 p.m., preceding that afternoon's 4:05 p.m. game vs the Cardinals.

Larkin’s #11 will be the 10th jersey number retired by the Reds, joining Fred Hutchinson’s #1, Johnny Bench’s #5, Joe Morgan’s #8, Sparky Anderson’s #10, Dave Concepcion’s #13, Ted Kluszewski’s #18, Frank Robinson’s #20, Tony Perez’s #24 and Jackie Robinson’s #42.

The August 25 game's festivities will include a block party at The Banks beginning at 1:00 p.m., hosted by the Reds Community Fund and featuring a post-game performance by Barry and Lisa Larkin’s daughter Cymber, an international recording artist who performs under the name CymcoLe.

“My family and I are very excited about the special celebration in Cincinnati. Since January, the entire Hall of Fame experience has been a dream for us, and the upcoming weekend will be a fitting end to an incredible summer," Larkin said. "I am going to be very excited and humbled when my uniform number is retired next to those of players I grew up admiring and respecting. I’m looking forward to celebrating this honor with my hometown fans. I want this to be a celebration about all Cincinnatians who have made the city proud.”

COMPLETE DETAILS (Reds.com)

MLB cincinnati reds, barry larkin, retired numbers

Hall of Fame Reds shortstop reflects on his career...

MLB cincinnati reds, barry larkin, baseball hall of fame

Here are some great reads from around the web about Barry Larkin, who will be inducted into the Baseball HOF:

Barry Larkin a consummate professional (Jim Bowden, ESPN.com)
Barry goes into the Hall of Fame this weekend as his era’s best NL shortstop, but he’s also going in because of his high character, integrity, family values and all of the championship-caliber insight he gave the organization -- his only organization -- throughout his career. On behalf of my family, congratulations to you, Barry, on achieving the ultimate accomplishment for a major league baseball player...MORE

Larkin's underrated greatness goes beyond place among shortstops (Cliff Corcoran, SI.com)
There wasn't anything Barry Larkin didn't do well on the baseball diamond, and he upheld similar standards off of it, winning the 1993 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes involvement in the community, and 1994 Lou Gehrig Award, which recognizes character and integrity...MORE

Larkin persevered through doubt to reach Hall of Fame (Jack Etkin, MLB.com)
Larkin was a complete player, a Hall of Fame talent, as it turned out. He reached the Reds after a brief apprenticeship in the Minors. Larkin was so gifted, it's hard to imagine he ever questioned his ability. But he did...MORE

Larkin the quite superstar (Bill Lankhof, Toronto Sun)
If baseball had a Lady Byng Trophy, Larkin would be your candidate. He is, perhaps arguably, one of the 10 best shortstops in baseball history. But, having played in a small-media town, away from the glare of big city notoriety, he is also one of baseball’s best-kept secrets...MORE

MLB cincinnati reds, barry larkin, hall of fame

In his third year on the ballot former Reds’ shortstop Barry Larkin was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, receiving more than 86 percent of the vote.

After missing out the last two seasons, Larkin will be inducted during ceremonies on July 21-22 in Cooperstown.

The 12-time National League All-Star shortstop and three-time Gold Glove Award winner, won the NL MVP award in 1995 and helped lead the Reds to a World Series championship over the A’s in 1990.

The .295 career hitter won nine Silver Slugger awards and helped redefine the position in advance to the arrival of names such as Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.

He becomes just the 48th Hall of Famer to spend his entire career with one organization. He is just the third Hall of Famer to spend his whole career with the Reds, joining Johnny Bench and Bid McPhee.

Larkin was the first shortstop in history, in 1996, to join the 30-homer, 30-stolen bases club. He hit at least .300 in nine of his 19 seasons, and wound up with 2,340 hits, 198 homers and 379 stolen bases.

WCPO's John Popovich takes a look at Barry Larkin's career as a Red:

MLB cincinnati reds, barry larkin, hall of fame, cooperstown

After watching Dave Concepcion (1970-1988) and Barry Larkin (1986-2004) man the position for nearly four decades, the Cincinnati Reds have struggled to find their next great shortstop.

The team called up Zack Cozart earlier this week. It remains to be seen rather or not Cozart is going to be able to fill those shoes. Most analysts don’t expect him to reach those heights.

Second base hasn’t been nearly as big of a problem, at least not since Brandon Phillips arrived in 2006. Considering that Phillips has had 20 different double-team partners during his five-year tenure with the team you can see the team’s dilemma.

Here’s the complete list:

--Zack Cozart
--Paul Janish
--Edgar Renteria
--Orlando Cabrera
--Miguel Cairo
--Drew Sutton
--Chris Valaika
--Alex Gonzalez
--Jerry Hairston Jr.
--Adam Rosales
--Jolbert Cabrera
--Juan Castro
--Jeff Keppinger
--Danny Richar
--Enrique Cruz
--Pedro Lopez
--Rich Aurilia
--Royce Clayton
--Felipe Lopez
--Ray Olmedo

MLB cincinnati reds, brandon phillips, dave concepcion, barry larkin, zack cozart, paul ranish, edgar renteria

The Baseball Writers of Association of America’s latest ballot results were released on Wednesday and pitcher Bert Blyleven and second baseman Roberto Alomar were voted in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In his second time on the ballot former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin failed to receive the required 75 percent of the vote to make the cut.  However, Larkin was the top vote-getter on those not elected as he was on 62 percent ballots, up 10 percent from a year ago.

With a weak class of first-time guys going the ballot next season, there is a good chance Larkin could get the call in 2012.

As ESPN.com’s Rob Neyer pointed out in his latest column Larkin “was an 11-time All-Star, won nine Silver Slugger Awards, three Gold Glove Awards, and one National League Most Valuable Player Award. Shortstops who hit nearly 200 home runs and steal nearly 400 bases don't exactly grow on trees. Not even in Cooperstown.”

Larkin put up some great numbers as Red, but the one that we may never see again is the 19 seasons with just one team. In today's era of baseball playing for one team for even one decade is impressive, but the fact that Larkin almost reached two decades with the club is amazing.

When Larkin does get inducted it could be the last Red for decades. Ken Griffey Jr. is a lock to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he will undoubtedly go in as a Seattle Mariner. Aside from current players on the roster, no others with eligibility are even remote candidates. Aside from Pete Rose's ban being lifted Larkin is the Reds' one and only shot for some time to come.

MLB baseball hall of fame, cincinnati reds, barry larkin, roberto alomar, bert blyleven

Power hitter Andre Dawson was elected today to the 2010 class of the Baseball Hall of Fame as balloting was cast for this year.  The powerful Cubs star made it in after missing the vote count last year.  Bert Blyleven missed by five votes.

Dawson missed the required 75% of the votes last year by 77 votes but pulled through this year with 77.9% of the 539 ballots from the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Bert Blyleven barely missed with 74.2% of the vote.  The pitcher was included on 400 ballots with this year's required minimum is 405.

Dawson was the only player to make it in. 

Popular player Roberto Alomar was on the ballot for the first time and almost made it in as well receiving just over 73% of the votes needed.

Longtime Reds' shortstop Barry Larkin, who was on the ballot for the first time, only received 51.6% of the vote. However, that should indicate that Larkin will eventually get the call from Cooperstown. ESPN.com said Wednesday that in the last 41 years – dating back to 1968 – every single one of the 13 players who has debuted with 50% of the vote or higher eventually was elected.

MLB chicago cubs, cincinnati reds, andre dawson, barry larkin, roberto alomar, bert blyleven

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark argues Barry Larkin's candidacy for the Hall of Fame...

Barry Larkin is one of the greatest shortstops who ever lived. Period.

I'm not sure why this is a fact lost on most of the non-Ohioans on our fine planet. But it's a fact I can assure you is 100 percent true. And because it's true, you should also know this:

Barry Larkin is a Hall of Famer. An easy Hall of Famer.

That doesn't mean he'll go sailing into Cooperstown next week on the first ballot, of course.

COMPLETE ARTICLE

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Check out another great argument in favor of Larkin from a few years back by Aaron Gleeman.

MLB hall of fame, barry larkin, cincinnati reds