Canadians in the MLB All-Star Game

*Please note my But What Do I Know? column normally published on Sunday may be delayed this week.

July 16, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

According to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, a Canadian has been selected to participate in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game 52 different times since 1936.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was born in Montreal, Que., will start at first base for the American League in tonight’s all-star showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. This is Guerrero Jr.’s fourth All-Star Game.

Backing him up at first base will be Cleveland Guardians slugger Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) who is appearing at his first Midsummer Classic.

Here is some trivia about the Canucks that have been chosen for the All-Star Game over the years:

– The first Canadian selected was Huntsville, Ont., native George Selkirk, an outfielder with the New York Yankees, who toiled in the 1936 contest. Selkirk walked in a pinch-hit appearance in that contest.

– Fort William, Ont., native Jeff Heath started in right field for the American League in the 1941 All-Star Game and hit fifth in their order behind Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. The Canuck slugger went 0-for-2 with a walk before being replaced by DiMaggio’s brother Dom.

– Three players born in Canada – Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C.), Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.) and Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) – were selected for the 2008 classic. This represents the highest number of Canucks ever chosen.

– In 2008, Morneau became the first Canadian to win the All-Star Home Run Derby when he defeated Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton in the final round. In 2023, Guerrero Jr. duplicated Morneau’s feat when he won the derby.

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– The two hits Morneau recorded in the 2008 All-Star Game are the most by a Canadian in the Midsummer Classic.

– Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) has been selected to six All-Star games. That’s the most by a Canadian position player. Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) was selected to five.

– Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.) and Eric Gagne (Mascouche, Que.) were chosen to three All-Star games each – the most by a Canuck pitcher.

– Jenkins’ six strikeouts in the 1967 contest tied an All-Star game record. Among the players Jenkins fanned in that contest were Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew.

– Guerrero Jr. became the first Canadian-born player to hit a home run in the All-Star Game when he connected for a solo shot off Corbin Burnes in the third inning of the 2021 contest at Coors Field. The American League won 5-2 and Guerrero Jr. was named MVP.

– No Canadians were selected for an All-Star game between Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.) in 1978 and Walker in 1992.

– Three Canadian pitchers – Jason Dickson (Miramichi, N.B.), Jeff Zimmerman (Kelowna, B.C) and Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) – were selected for All-Star games in their rookie seasons in 1997, 1999 and 2019 respectively.

– When the All-Star game was held at Olympic Stadium in Montreal on July 13, 1982, it was the first time that the Midsummer Classic had been played outside of the United States. Almost 60,000 fans crammed into The Big O to watch the National League club – which featured five Montreal Expos (Al Oliver, Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter and Steve Rogers. Jim Fanning also served as a coach for the NL.) on its roster – defeat the American League 4-1. Rogers started the game and registered the win. Right-hander Jim Clancy was the sole Toronto Blue Jay on the American League squad. He pitched a scoreless fourth inning. It’s also interesting to note that Montreal native and Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Jim McKean umpired third base.

– On July 9, 1991, the All-Star game was held at the Skydome in Toronto. Three Blue Jays – Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter and Jimmy Key – suited up for the American League squad, who downed a National League team, whose roster featured Montreal Expos Dennis Martinez and Ivan Calderon, 4-1. Fittingly, Key was the winning pitcher, while Martinez took the loss.  Former Expo Andre Dawson homered in the fourth inning for the National League.