Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
Dick Grapenthin pitched parts of three MLB season with the Expos. October 27, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada After completing his warm-up pitches, a nervous Dick Grapenthin peered in for the sign from future Hall of Famer Gary Carter. Standing in the batter’s box to face him was none other than Atlanta Braves... Continue Reading →
September 21, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Baserunning legend Maury Wills, who played 47 games for the Montreal Expos in 1969, died on Monday at the age of 89. He passed away at his home in Sedona, Ariz. No cause of death has been given. Wills spent almost 12 of his 14 major... Continue Reading →
Melville, Sask., native Terry Puhl (left) with former Astros GM Tal Smith at their Astros Hall of Fame induction ceremony last night at Minute Maid Park. Photo: Houston Astros/Facebook August 14, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly Canadian baseball news and notes: - Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) is... Continue Reading →
Condredge Holloway was a star high school infielder. July 15, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Before Tom Brady, there was Condredge Holloway. Much has been written about the Montreal Expos’ decision to choose Brady in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB draft, but 24 years earlier, the club selected Holloway, another future... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Former Montreal Expos scout Kelvin Bowles passed away on Sunday at the age of 82 after a lengthy illness. He died in his home in Smith Mountain Lake, Va. Bowles was a versatile and respected scout for Jim Fanning and the Expos from 1985 to 1990. He was entrusted... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Former Montreal Expos outfielder Larry Biittner died on Sunday at the age of 75. The news of his death was first reported on the Baseball Player Passings Facebook page by family friend Dan Pritchard on Sunday morning. The Des Moines Register reported that Biittner died of cancer. Most will... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Former Montreal Expos manager Bill Virdon passed away on Tuesday at the age of 90. The Pittsburgh Pirates, whom Virdon maintained ties with, announced his death on social media early Tuesday afternoon. Virdon was the dugout boss of the Montreal Expos in 1983 and for most of the 1984... Continue Reading →
The Expos signed Larry Walker 37 years ago. By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: -Marty Healy would've turned 44 on Monday. He was a wonderful guy with an encyclopedic knowledge of Canadian baseball players and the co-author (with Richard Armstrong) of an excellent book about... Continue Reading →
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Jim Fanning passed away six years ago today. By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: -Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) heads into this afternoon's game against the St. Louis Cardinals one home run shy of 300 for... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It was the fall of 1975 and it seemed like the stage might be set for Larry Doby to once again make major league history. Doby, who, in July 1947, became the first African-American player to compete in the American League, was a highly respected hitting instructor in the... Continue Reading →