Doug Melvin to be honoured by Chatham Barnstormers tonight

June 17, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

The Intercounty Baseball League’s Chatham-Kent Barnstormers will honour longtime major league executive Doug Melvin prior to their game tonight against the London Majors.

A portrait of Melvin, who was born and raised in Chatham, will be unveiled in a ceremony outside of Fergie Jenkins Field at 6:30 p.m. The game is set to begin at 7:35 p.m.

Melvin’s portrait is the third commissioned by the Barnstormers. Former big league pitchers Fergie Jenkins and Bill Atkinson, both born in Chatham, have already been honoured.

Born in Chatham, Ont., in 1952, Melvin went on to pitch in the minors in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ and New York Yankees’ organizations before moving into the administrative ranks.

He worked in a number of prominent posts, including as scouting director with the Yankees and as assistant GM and director of player personnel with the Baltimore Orioles before landing his first general manager’s job with the Texas Rangers in 1994. During his time with the Rangers, he was named MLB executive of the year twice in 1996 and 1998.

After his tenure with the Rangers, he was named executive vice-president and general manager of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002 and was voted executive of the year in 2011 after the team set a franchise-record with 96 wins (a number that was equaled in 2018) and captured a National League Central Division title.

Melvin stepped down from his post with the Brewers in 2015, but he still serves as an advisor for the club.

He was elected to the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.