Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
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 →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It seems fitting that the greatest Canadian pitcher was the first hurler to toss a shutout against the Toronto Blue Jays. On April 24, 1977, Fergie Jenkins, toeing the rubber for the Boston Red Sox, dominated the Jays for nine innings in front of 29,303 fans at Exhibition Stadium.... Continue Reading →
A Canadian has been selected to play in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the 16th consecutive season. Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who grew up in Etobicoke, Ont., will bat cleanup for the National League in tonight’s Midsummer Classic at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Vancouver native Dave McKay, who was the... Continue Reading →
The Toronto Blue Jays are going all out to celebrate Canada’s birthday on Sunday. Players will don special red jerseys, there will be a street festival outside the Rogers Centre and the club will honour armed forces members and Olympians. This patriotic fervor makes me think of all of the Canadian players that have suited... Continue Reading →
