Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: My condolences to the family of Charlottetown, P.E.I., native and ex-big leaguer Vern Handrahan who passed away after a long battle with cancer on Wednesday at the age of 79. One of just three big league players from P.E.I. (George Wood (Pownal, P.E.I.) and Henry... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Balor Moore says he pitched in so many Canadian cities during his professional baseball career that he’s likely eligible to receive monthly social security payments from Canada. “It wouldn’t be big money, but it would pay for my golf,” joked the now 65-year-old Texas native, who not only toed... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Just when I wake up feeling everything is right in the sports world, I find out that Tie Domi has a best-selling book and Colby Rasmus will make $15.8 million in 2016. • Kevin Pillar’s Gold Glove snub makes me think that it’s time... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Without Rod Carew, Tony Fernandez probably wouldn’t have recorded more hits than any other player in Toronto Blue Jays history. Fernandez, who rapped out 1,583 hits with the Blue Jays, idolized the Panama-born Hall of Famer and modeled his batting stance after him. And if you were lucky enough... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Carlos Delgado, who will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame this coming Saturday in St. Marys, Ont., was arguably the greatest hitter in Toronto Blue Jays history, but the Blue Jays weren’t the first professional team that Delgado played for in... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • When Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) doubled off of right-hander Buck Farmer in the third inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 8-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on August 13, he became the 13th Canadian to collect 1,000 hits in their big league career. He also... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Bill James, baseball's most influential statistician, ranks him as the greatest second baseman in major league history, and fans that watched Joe Morgan play at Jarry Park would probably agree. In 43 games at the old Montreal ballpark, the 5-foot-7, 160-pound second baseman clubbed seven homers and recorded a... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Tom was not "Terrific" in Toronto. Admittedly, Tom Seaver, whose dominance on the mound earned him the nickname "Tom Terrific," didn't pitch in Toronto until the tail end of his career, but the legendary hurler lost all three games he started at Exhibition Stadium and posted a 3.63 ERA.... Continue Reading →
He won four Cy Young Awards, was selected to 10 all-star games and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. But what you might not know about legendary left-hander Steve Carlton is that he started his professional baseball career in Canada. After he was signed as an... 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 →