Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
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 →
May 28, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Montreal native Russell Martin is set to officially announce his retirement. The veteran catcher, who hasn’t played a big league game since 2019, told Guillaume Latendresse and Maxim Lapierre during an interview for their La Poche bleue podcast that he’ll make the formal announcement on social... Continue Reading →
April 7, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada He feuded with Tony Gwynn, Ozzie Smith and Frank Robinson. But he was much loved by Mo Vaughn, Andy Van Slyke and Whitey Herzog, the latter of whom called him “the greatest fastball hitter of his era.” Yes, it seems Jack Clark was either loved or... Continue Reading →
Allan Roth (Montreal, Que.) calculated baseball statistics in his office before computers. Photo: National Baseball Hall of Fame By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Before Bill James, Sabermetrics and FanGraphs, one determined Canadian helped start it all. Allan Roth was a 26-year-old former tie and suspenders salesman from Montreal, who had a passion for baseball... Continue Reading →
Rheal Cormier at his 2012 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in St. Marys, Ont. Photo: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Four Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees passed away in 2021. As the end of the year approaches, please take a moment to remember them. I've written... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Who has been the Toronto Blue Jays' best starting pitcher in the postseason? It's not Dave Stieb or Jimmy Key, or even Jack Morris, who was signed specifically for his superlative postseason track record. And younger Blue Jays fans might say it's Marco Estrada. But the correct answer would... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: – It took 30 years but Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.) finally has some Canadian company in the plaque gallery in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) joked about joining Jenkins in his... Continue Reading →
This 1991 Upper Deck card is a tribute to Dennis Martinez's perfect game that was tossed 30 years ago today By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It was 30 years ago today that "El Presidente" was "El Perfecto." That was how legendary broadcaster Dave Van Horne poetically summarized Montreal Expos ace Dennis Martinez's perfect game... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Former Montreal Expos closer Mike Marshall passed away on June 1 at the age of 78 from complications from Alzheimer's disease. The Los Angeles Dodgers reported his death on their Twitter account after being notified by Marshall's daughter Rebekah. Marshall died in hospice care in Zephyrhills, Fla. Durable, outspoken... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It was 15 years ago today that Russell Martin made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Montreal native had been called up from triple-A Las Vegas after Dodgers catcher Dioner Navarro suffered a deep bone bruise on his right wrist from a foul ball off... Continue Reading →