Canadian MLBers you might not have heard of . . . Ralph Buxton

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He played on a World Series-winning team with Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra and pitched for Hall of Fame managers Connie Mack and Casey Stengel. However with the way umpires check pitchers for substances today, Ralph Buxton, the man sometimes referred to as the “Pine Tar Baby,” would’ve been in trouble. But that’s all part of the story of this little-talked-about right-hander, who in 1938 became the first player born in Saskatchewan to compete in the major leagues.

Long Reads: 1941: DiMaggio, Williams and the Canadian that became the American League’s first 20-20-20 player

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Jeff Heath. Photo: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Fate and, some would say, karma, attempted to humble Jeff Heath. For no matter what the brash, broad-shouldered Canadian-born slugger did on a professional baseball field – and much of it was remarkable – he always seemed to be overshadowed. It’s... Continue Reading →

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But What Do I Know? . . . Matt Boyd, Larry Walker, Chris Sale

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My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Adding intrigue to 24-year-old lefty Matt Boyd’s start with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday is that he’s reportedly the type of prospect that the Philadelphia Phillies covet in a deal for closer Jonathan Papelbon. Boyd, who allowed four runs in 6-2/3 innings in... Continue Reading →

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But What Do I Know? . . . John McDonald, Tom Henke, Alex Rodriguez

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My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • On a New York Mets broadcast in 1988, Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner said, “On this Father’s Day, we’d like to wish all you fathers out here a Happy Birthday.” So to paraphrase Kiner, Happy Birthday and Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful dad,... Continue Reading →

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs pitcher Don Johnson dies at 88

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Don Johnson, who pitched parts of five minor league seasons with the International League's Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1950s, died of kidney failure in Portland, Ore., on February 10 at the age of 88. Though his wild and hard-drinking ways sometimes overshadowed his on-the-field performance, Johnson managed to pitch in parts of seven big... Continue Reading →

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Remembering the Canadian who replaced Babe Ruth

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*Writer's Note: This is an updated version of an article that I've published previously on this blog. He’s Canada’s Mr. October. But even though George Selkirk earned five World Series rings during his nine-year career with the New York Yankees, the vast majority of baseball fans in Canada and the U.S. don’t know who he... Continue Reading →

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But What Do I Know? . . . Justin Morneau, Joe Krakauskas, Jesse Chavez

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My weekly observations and opinions about some Canadian baseball stories: - Following his walk-off home run on Sunday, New Westminster, B.C., native Justin Morneau is batting .327 with nine homers in 42 games for the Colorado Rockies this season. His stellar performance has enabled him to move up on the all-time Canadian leaderboard in two... Continue Reading →

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