Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
A Canadian manager had to shut down a Canadian superstar for the city of Detroit to win its first World Series. That’s one of the many fascinating stories that Brian “Chip” Martin shares in his excellent new book, The Detroit Wolverines: The Rise and Wreck of a National League Champion, 1881-88. It was in 1887... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · My friends sometimes ask me who the nicest major league player I’ve ever met is. My answer has been New Westminster, B.C., native Justin Morneau. He was an American League MVP, a home run derby champ, a team leader, a great representative for Canada... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · For baseball writers on the fence about whether Larry Walker deserves their Hall of Fame vote, I offer this tweet from Ryan Spaeder (@TheAceofSpaeder on Twitter) that was sent out on Tuesday: “No player in baseball history has more career home runs (383) and... 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: · Wednesday might have been the greatest day ever for Canadian pitchers in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system. Shane Dawson (Drayton Valley, Alta.) and Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) started and picked up the wins for double-A New Hampshire and class-A Advanced Dunedin respectively,... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · It’s been a great season for Etobicoke, Ont., native Joey Votto, but the past two weeks have been particularly memorable. On June 28, he broke Maple Ridge, B.C., native Larry Walker’s record for most career walks by a Canadian when he notched his 914th... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · How humbling can it be to be a professional baseball player? Last year at this time, Victoria, B.C., native Michael Saunders was enjoying his first of two consecutive, three-hit games for the Toronto Blue Jays and was headed to his first all-star game. This... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · Fifty-one years ago today, two days after he was acquired by the Chicago Cubs from the Philadelphia Phillies, Chatham, Ont., native Fergie Jenkins relieved Cubs starter Bob Hendley in the third inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field and... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: On the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday, Wayne Gretzky shared that baseball was his favourite sport when he was growing up. The Brantford, Ont., native, who’s the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, said that if he had been given the choice of playing professional hockey or... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: So far so good for Montreal Expos legend Tim Raines in the National Baseball Hall of Fame voting. Thanks to the hard-working Ryan Thibodaux, who documents baseball writers’ ballots that have been made public, we know that Raines has been named on 139 of 153... Continue Reading →