Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · Happy Birthday to my favourite baseball player of all-time – my dad, Ralph Glew! Mickey Mantle was his hero growing up, but I remember my dad as more of a Tony Gwynn-type batter in his slo-pitch games with the Dorchester Standbys. I recall him... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · It was 41 years ago today that the Toronto Blue Jays began assembling their first team via the 1976 Major League Baseball Expansion Draft. With their first pick, the Blue Jays selected Bob Bailor from the Baltimore Orioles. Bailor proceeded to bat .310 in... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: Victoria, B.C., native Michael Saunders is the only Canadian player headed to the MLB All-Star Game in San Diego on Tuesday. Garnering 17.7 million fan votes, Saunders defeated the four other “Final Vote” candidates – George Springer, Dustin Pedroia, Evan Longoria and Ian Kinsler –... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: Up until my mid-teens, he channeled his inner Mickey Mantle to hit me countless fly balls down Thames Crescent in Dorchester, Ont. And I chased them down while pretending to be Jesse Barfield. He’s a kind, quiet, patient, gentle and responsible man who has literally... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Happy Valentine’s Day to you! Former Montreal Expos outfielder Ellis Valentine is the most talented player with the last name “Valentine” to suit up in the big leagues, but here’s a list of the some of the other “Valentines” that have competed in the... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • For a major league team to make the postseason these days, they require their stars to be stars, but they also need to have one or two outstanding performers that come out of nowhere. The Toronto Blue Jays have five such players. Twenty year-old... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: - Mississauga, Ont., native Dalton Pompey became the second Canadian to record an RBI in their first at bat with the Toronto Blue Jays. The 21-year-old outfielder’s ground out to first base plated Anthony Gose in the eighth inning in the Blue Jays’ 11-1 victory... Continue Reading →
Gaylord Perry and Fergie Jenkins forged a fast friendship when they pitched together on two mediocre Texas Rangers teams in 1975 and 1980. And when you stop to think about it, it's easy to understand why these two pitching legends hit it off. Both were workhorse right-handers whose goal in every start was to toss... Continue Reading →
The Toronto Blue Jays are going all out to celebrate Canada’s birthday today. Players will don special red jerseys and caps, there will be a street festival outside the Rogers Centre and the club will honour armed forces members. As Bob Elliott points out in his annual Canada Day column, this year's game is extra... Continue Reading →
Tony La Russa used to be a Mountie. No, not that kind of Mountie, although the legendary skipper, who will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 27, does have a law degree. What we're referring to, however, is La Russa's 1968 season with the Oakland A's Triple-A Vancouver Mounties. The... Continue Reading →