Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It would’ve been understandable if Kevin Reimer was too exhausted to savour the fact that he had just made Canadian baseball history. After all, on August 24, 1993, when the left-handed hitting slugger became the first Canadian to record six hits in a major league game since 1900, he... Continue Reading →
Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) has been called up by the Minnesota Twins. Photo: CTV News By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada The Minnesota Twins have called up left-hander Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.). Albers, 35, was promoted from the triple-A St. Paul Saints along with right-hander Kyle Barraclough to replace left-hander Lewis Thorpe who... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada With his seventh-inning single on Monday night, Cincinnati Reds slugger Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) became the second Canadian to record 2,000 major league hits. Hall of Famer Larry Walker was the first. The Maple Ridge, B.C., native, who will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada The Detroit Tigers are set to call up Canadian outfielder Jacob Robson, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Robson, who grew up in Windsor, Ont., but was born in London, Ont., has been impressive with the Tigers’ triple-A Toledo Mud Hens this season, posting a .397 on-base... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada The Toronto Blue Jays dealt right-hander John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday in exchange for cash considerations. With the transaction, the Canuck will rejoin the team he began his big league career with in 2009. The Brewers noted in their press release that Axford... Continue Reading →
Vancouver native Bob Alexander pitched in four games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1955. Photo: The Evening Sun (Baltimore) By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Bob Alexander was the very definition of a journeyman professional pitcher, toeing the rubber for no less than 17 teams in 18 seasons. But the crafty right-hander’s resume does boast... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Most of us think of Matt Stairs as a burly outfielder/pinch-hitter with a powerful, slo-pitch-like swing. And we remember Larry Walker as a rifle-armed right fielder and Justin Morneau and Joey Votto as MVP Award-winning first basemen. But none of these Canadian sluggers entered the pro ranks at these... Continue Reading →
Right-hander Ray Daviault (Montreal, Que.) made his MLB debut with the New York Mets 59 years ago today. By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It turns out that April 13 is a fairly significant date in Canadian baseball history. Over the years, four Canadians made their major league debuts on this date, while Pete Rose... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada When most people think of Travis Fryman, they remember him as a steady, productive Gold Glove Award-winning third baseman for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. But to me, Fryman will always be a fresh-faced 20-year-old shortstop for the double-A London Tigers at Labatt Park. I was a baseball-crazed... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada His nickname was the Leamington Workhorse. And that's exactly what Bob Hooper was for the hapless Philadelphia A's in 1950. In 45 games - including 20 starts and 25 relief appearances - that season, he managed to register 15 of the club's 52 wins. Born in Leamington, Ont., in... Continue Reading →
