April 17 – On this date in Canadian baseball history

April 17, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

Some significant birthdays, debuts and events in Canadian baseball history that happened on April 17:

1950 – Blue Jays’ first second baseman was born

Happy 75th Birthday to Pedro Garcia! He was the starting second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays in their first regular season game. Batting seventh, he went 3-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI to help the Blue Jays to a 9-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on that snowy day at Exhibition Stadium. That was the highlight of his 41-game tenure with the Blue Jays in which he batted .208. Garcia was also the first player with the last name “Garcia” to play second base for the Blue Jays. Damaso Garcia and Carlos Garcia would follow.

1954 – Burgess made MLB debut

On this date 71 years ago, Tom Burgess (London, Ont.) made his MLB debut with the St. Louis Cardinals. With the Chicago Cubs leading the Cardinals 22-10 in the sixth inning, Burgess replaced Stan Musial in the outfield and proceeded to go 0-for-2. The Cubs eventually won 23-13.

1955 – Clemente made MLB debut

After playing the 1954 season with the International League’s Montreal Royals and shortly thereafter being selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Brooklyn Dodgers in that era’s equivalent of the Rule 5 draft, Roberto Clemente made his big league debut with the Pirates on this date 70 years ago. Hitting third and playing right field, he went 1-for-4 in the Pirates’ 10-3 loss to the Dodgers at Forbes Field. Clemente singled off Johnny Podres in his first at bat for his first MLB hit.

1967 – Expos All-Star Grissom was born

Happy 58th Birthday to former Montreal Expos centre fielder Marquis Grissom! In his six seasons with the Expos, he was a two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner. He topped the National League in stolen bases with 76 in 1991 and 78 in 1992. No major league player has had more than 78 stolen bases in a season since. In total, Grissom batted .279 with 747 hits in 698 games with the Expos and stole 266 bases.

1969 – Stoneman tossed no-hitter for the Expos

On this date 56 years ago, Bill Stoneman tossed a no-hitter for the Expos in the ninth game of the club’s history. The 5-foot-10 right-hander scattered five walks and struck out eight batters in the Expos’ 7-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. The Blue Jays, in comparison, waited much longer for their first no-hitter. Dave Stieb tossed the first (and only) no-hitter in Blue Jays history on September 2, 1990 against Cleveland at Municipal Stadium. That was the 2,183^rd regular season game in Blue Jays’ history.

1980 – St. Pierre was born

Happy 45th Birthday to former Detroit Tigers catcher, Baseball Canada alum and Quebec City native Max St. Pierre! Selected in the 26^th round of the 1997 MLB amateur draft by the Detroit Tigers, he played parts of 14 seasons in the minors before making his big-league debut on September 4, 2010. He’d suit up in six games with the Tigers that season before competing in one final campaign with the triple-A Toledo Mud Hens in 2011.

1987 – McGriff belted first MLB home run for Blue Jays

Thirty-eight years ago today, Fred McGriff belted his first major league home run for the Blue Jays. Batting seventh and DHing, McGriff hit a three-run homer off Bob Stanley in the fifth inning in a Blue Jays’ 10-5 win over the Boston Red Sox at Exhibition Stadium.

2003 – Bedard made his MLB debut

On this date 22 years ago, Erik Bedard (Navan, Ont.) made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles. The Canadian left-hander entered the game in the eighth inning and allowed a single to Jason Giambi, then got Jorge Posada to pop out to the catcher before he struck out Robin Ventura for his first big league K. The Yankees eventually won the game 7-1.

2003 – Johnson made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays

It was 22 years ago today that Reed Johnson made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays. After Josh Phelps singled with one out in the ninth inning against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, Johnson pinch ran for Phelps. Johnson was forced out when Eric Hinske hit a grounder to second base. The Blue Jays lost 4-0.