Hazel Mae delivered touching and heartfelt Jack Graney Award speech 

July 2, 2026

By Kevin Glew 

Cooperstowners in Canada 

“I came here for Hazel.” 

That has been one of the most common refrains heard from fans at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in St. Marys, Ont., in recent years. 

People love Hazel Mae.  

And it’s easy to understand why. She’s as gracious and thoughtful as she is supremely talented. I’ve never spoken to a fan who has walked away from meeting her feeling disappointed. She always makes time for people even when she doesn’t have the time. 

In recent years, she has generously served as the emcee for the Canadian ball hall’s annual induction ceremony. This year, however, the tables were turned and she was one of the honorees. 

On June 20, she was presented with the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Jack Graney Award. This award is handed out annually to a member of the media who has made significant contributions to baseball in Canada through their life’s work. 

“Hazel Mae has set the bar extremely high for Major League Baseball’s in-game reporters,” said Scott Crawford, the director of operations at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. “For many years, her in-depth player interviews and in-game insights have often been the highlight of Sportsnet’s Blue Jays coverage, but her impact on baseball in Canada reaches far beyond her work on the field. She has been a tremendous ambassador for baseball across the country.” 

It was Blue Jays radio play-by-play voice Ben Shulman who took over emcee duties at the Canadian ball hall’s induction ceremonies this year. He had the honour of introducing his Sportsnet colleague as the Jack Graney Award winner. 

“I was assured this was a Gatorade-free zone this afternoon,” joked Mae at the start of her speech. 

As we all know, she has been the recipient of too many post-game Gatorade showers intended for Blue Jays players.  

Born in the Philippines, Mae grew up in Toronto and got her start in sports journalism at the campus radio station at York University. While she was a student, she was granted media credentials from longtime Blue Jays public relations director Howie Starkman. 

She would sit in the last row of the SkyDome pressbox during Blue Jays games. 

“It was Howie who granted credentials to our campus radio station with an audience that was so small, but it was extremely loyal . . . mostly because the majority of our radio listeners were related to us,” joked Mae from the podium. 

In her speech, Mae also gave a “cap tip” to veteran Canadian baseball writers Bob Elliott, Richard Griffin, Dave Perkins, Larry Millson, Mike Zeisberger and Steve Milton. 

“You guys were so kind and generous with your knowledge when I knew very little and I was trying very hard to make it look like I knew more,” said Mae. 

Mae’s professional career in the Toronto sports media began in 2001 when she was hired to anchor the morning edition of Sportsnet Central and was the host of Jzone, a weekly show devoted to the Blue Jays. She was hired by Sportsnet president Scott Moore who saw something in her despite her “really low budget” demo tape. 

“It was rough around the edges and frankly given my performance on that demo tape, I should probably never be shown in public again,” said Mae. “But somehow, he saw just enough to give me a shot . . .  He told me something that day that I’ve never forgotten. He said, ‘Hazel, I can teach you something about television, but I cannot teach someone to be passionate about sports.’ So thank you, Scott, for betting on enthusiasm over experience.” 

After three years at Sportsnet, Mae accepted a position in Boston as the lead anchor on the New England Sports Network’s (NESN) Sportsnet desk. She also hosted The Ultimate Red Sox Show, which was NESN’s weekly Red Sox show and was part of the Sox broadcast team in 2004 when they captured their first World Series in 86 years.  

Four years later, she was the first on-air talent hired by the MLB Network. In her acceptance speech, Mae described her initial meeting with Tony Petitti, the first president and CEO of the MLB Network.  

“He told me to meet him in New Jersey,” recalled Mae. “So, my agent and I flew to New Jersey and he took me on a tour of this really rundown, dilapidated building in Secaucus.” 

Petitti explained that he was going to turn the building into the home of a 24-hour baseball network. 

“And I remember thinking, ‘This guy is crazy,’” said Mae.  

She was glad to be wrong and ended up working at the MLB Network for three years, including on the Emmy Award-winning studio show MLB Tonight. She also hosted a program called Quick Pitch, while doubling as a sideline reporter for Thursday Night Baseball. 

In September 2011, she returned to Sportsnet, “mostly because I was homesick,” said Mae. 

She came back to anchor the 6 p.m. edition of Sportsnet Central.  

“Scott Moore, then once again played a vital role,” explained Mae. “He moved me from the studio onto the field, covering the team that I grew up cheering for.” 

In 2015, she began her current job as in-game reporter during Blue Jays telecasts. She also serves as guest host of Blue Jays Central throughout the season and has become the go-to reporter for in-depth interviews for Sportsnet’s Blue Jays coverage. 

Mae thanked her Sportsnet colleagues and crew during her speech, including Dan Shulman, Buck Martinez and Joe Siddall. 

“Thank you for your friendship and for always having my back in an industry that isn’t always so kind to us,” said Mae. 

She also thanked her son, Chase, and husband, Kevin Barker, a Blue Jays analyst, who was in the audience. 

“After a tough day at the ballpark, he [Kevin] reminds me of one of baseball’s greatest lessons, ‘Flush it. Come back the next day, keep swinging away,’” said Mae. 

Mae also thanked her mother, Estrelita, who was present, and her late father, Tito, who passed away nearly three years ago. 

“It’s so fitting that you’re honouring me on Father’s Day weekend,” said an emotional Mae. “Dad would’ve thought it was such a cool thing that I was here with Lloyd Moseby and Devon White. He would’ve thought this was so cool, but I know he’s looking down on me and thinking I did OK and I hope she doesn’t mess up the ending of her speech.” 

[Writer’s note: Don’t worry, dad. She definitely didn’t.]  

Mae ended her speech by thanking her fans. 

“You make the bad days so much better and the good days even better,” said Mae.  

And the fans who “came to see Hazel” would undoubtedly say the same thing about her.