Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
Who is the oldest scout in major league history? Well, he was a Canadian named Frank O'Rourke who scouted until age 92 with the New York Yankees.
Jeff Heath. Photo: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Fate and, some would say, karma, attempted to humble Jeff Heath. For no matter what the brash, broad-shouldered Canadian-born slugger did on a professional baseball field – and much of it was remarkable – he always seemed to be overshadowed. It’s... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: - Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) pitched a scoreless inning in relief on Friday and picked up his first major league win in the Toronto Blue Jays' 6-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. With the win,... Continue Reading →
His toughness was legendary. On many occasions, Frank O’Rourke “took the field so crippled up that every move caused him intense pain,” wrote Toronto Star sportswriter Charles Good in 1933. For 13 professional seasons, the Hamilton, Ont.-born infielder had persevered through sprained ankles, sore arms and the deep body bruises that accompany being perennially amongst... Continue Reading →
*This is part of my ongoing series of articles about members of the 1954 Montreal Royals. While manning left field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Don Thompson threw out New York Yankees second baseman Billy Martin to end Game 4 of the 1953 World Series. But while this toss was one of the highlights of Thompson's... Continue Reading →
In baseball lore, Walter “Rabbit” Maranville is known as much for his drunken shenanigans as he is for his fielding heroics. The 5-foot-5, 155-pound shortstop was one of baseball’s true characters during his 23-year playing career that spanned from 1912 to 1935. Nicknamed “Rabbit” because of his floppy ears and the distinctive way that he... Continue Reading →
