Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
Jeff DeWillis in spring training with the Blue Jays in 1986. Photo supplied. By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Jeff DeWillis dug into the batter’s box at Comiskey Park with two outs in the top of the fifth inning with the Toronto Blue Jays trailing the Chicago White Sox 3-2. One of his catching heroes,... Continue Reading →
Two Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees that are mentioned in this week's column. Photo: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: -Great news for those of us in Canada who have been wanting to see the documentary about Fergie Jenkins... Continue Reading →
North Battleford, Sask., native Andrew Albers. Photo: True Gravity Baseball By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: –One of the feel-good Canadian baseball stories this year has been North Battleford, Sask., native Andrew Albers' return to the big leagues with the Minnesota Twins. After holding the... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Thirty-eight years ago yesterday, Luis Leal tossed a two-hit shutout for the Toronto Blue Jays in their 8-0 win over the eventual American League West champion Chicago White Sox on a steamy night at Comiskey Park. It was the 26-year-old right-hander’s first major league shutout. “It was warm like... Continue Reading →
The scene after George Bell clubbed a walk-off home run for the Toronto Blue Jays in their final game at Exhibition Stadium 32 years ago today. Photo: YouTube By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It was a dramatic and fitting end for the Toronto Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium. Thirty-two years ago today, on an... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada When you examine a list of the Toronto Blue Jays' Opening Day starting pitchers, all the names you'd expect to see are on it. There's Roy Halladay (seven Opening Day starts), Dave Stieb (four), Jimmy Key (three), Pat Hentgen (two) and Jim Clancy (two). Other prominent names on the... Continue Reading →
February 4, 2021 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly roundup of former Toronto Blue Jays news and notes: Player Signings/Transactions –RHP Chase Anderson has signed a one-year, $4-million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, per Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. –OF Rajai Davis has retired as a player and has been hired by... Continue Reading →
Elliott Wahle, the Toronto Blue Jays' original administrator of player personnel, shown here second from the right, passed away on Friday at the age of 69. He is pictured here at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in St. Marys, Ont., in 2018 with ex-Blue Jays (far left to right) Paul Hodgson (Marysville,... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It was 30 years ago today that Toronto Blue Jays ace and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Dave Stieb finally got his no-hitter. The legendary right-hander at long last completed the feat against the Cleveland Indians in a 3-0 Blue Jays' win at Cleveland Stadium. This came after... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Fergie Jenkins was a savvy, 34-year-old veteran with a Hall of Fame resume when he first had the opportunity to pitch a major league game in his home province. After outstanding tenures with the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers, the Chatham, Ont.-born right-hander was with the Boston Red Sox... Continue Reading →