Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: In July, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced it would be revamping its Veterans Committee voting so that separate committees will now examine overlooked candidates from four different eras: Today’s Game (1988 to 2016), Modern Baseball (1970 to 1987), Golden Days (1950 to 1960)... Continue Reading →
Canadian baseball fans are most likely to remember Jim Gosger for his tenure with the Montreal Expos, but it was his performance in Toronto 50 years ago that earned him his first major league starting assignment. Now a spirited, kind-hearted, 72-year-old living in Port Huron, Mich., Gosger has fond memories of his 1965 season with... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • With his victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday, Richmond, B.C., native James Paxton has won the first six decisions of his big league career. Surprisingly, this is not a Canadian record. Toronto, Ont., native Jesse Crain won the first 11 decisions of his... Continue Reading →
Jim Fanning is Canadian baseball royalty. The ebullient former Montreal Expos manager, who turned 84 in September, remains active in Canadian baseball circles. With over 60 years in professional baseball as a player, manager, executive, ambassador and most recently a fill-in analyst on Blue Jays’ radio broadcasts, the amiable Fanning, who resides in London, Ont.,... Continue Reading →
As a new year approaches, it’s a good time to look back and savour the memories of some of the Canadian baseball legends that we lost in 2011. Here are obituaries of the legends that passed away in the second half of the year: Dick Williams, July 7 Elected to the National Baseball Hall of... Continue Reading →
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): It’s been a sad year for those of us who have fond memories of the 1981 Montreal Expos team that lost to the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Right-hander Charlie Lea became the third member... Continue Reading →
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): With his homer off of Rays lefty David Price at Yankees Stadium yesterday, Derek Jeter joined the 3,000-hit club in style. For the record, 285 of his hits have been recorded against the Blue Jays (third most... Continue Reading →
It’s a trivia question that stumps even the most avid Blue Jay fans. Who was the first player, manager, coach or executive associated with the Jays to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame? Phil Niekro or Dave Winfield are the most common responses, but the answer is Boston Red Sox legend Bobby... Continue Reading →
Earlier this week, I wrote about Walter Alston’s successful tenure as manager of the Montreal Royals, before he became a legendary skipper with the Dodgers. “The Quiet Man,” as he was sometimes dubbed, would pilot the Dodgers for 23 seasons, leading them to four World Series titles and seven National League pennants. But Alston isn’t... Continue Reading →
Before guiding the Dodgers to four World Series titles and seven National League pennants, Hall of Fame skipper, Walter Alston, honed his managerial skills with the Montreal Royals. Born in Venice, Ohio on December 1, 1911, the legendary bench boss enjoyed a brief, uneventful stint in the big leagues as a player. His only major... Continue Reading →
