Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
Montreal Gazette reporter Dink Carroll referred to Homer "Dixie" Howell as "the prodigal son." The description was apt when you consider that Howell played parts of six seasons, in four separate stints, with the Montreal Royals. No matter where the likeable catcher traveled during his lengthy professional baseball odyssey, his road always seemed to point... Continue Reading →
Jesse Owens is the only person that could beat Jack Cassini in a foot race. At least that's what the former Montreal Royal told the Arizona Republic in an interview in March 2008. "I could hit, and I could run like hell," Cassini told the paper. The ex-big leaguer was 88 when he made this... Continue Reading →
From ace starter in Montreal to World Series-winning closer in Brooklyn, Ed Roebuck certainly proved his versatility on the mound in the mid-1950s. After tying for the team lead in wins (18) with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1954, Roebuck made the big league Dodgers as a reliever the following spring. Brooklyn bench boss Walter... Continue Reading →
February 4, 2014 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada When Murray Cook left the New York Yankees to become the general manager of the Montreal Expos on September 5, 1984, no one could’ve blamed him if he thought his new job would be less stressful. After all, the Sackville, N.B., native would no longer have... Continue Reading →
Who was the first player to walk to the plate in a major league game on the West Coast? The answer is Gino Cimoli, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound San Francisco native who was selected to bat leadoff for the Dodgers in their first regular season contest representing the city of Los Angeles. With his friends and... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations about stories around the baseball world from a Canadian perspective (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): - After initially sporting No. 36 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New Westminster, B.C., native Justin Morneau has settled on No. 66. Morneau's trademark No. 33 - which he donned as a tribute to both Patrick Roy... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations about stories around the baseball world from a Canadian perspective (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): - I understand why the floundering Minnesota Twins would trade Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.) to the Pittsburgh Pirates. What I don't understand is why they would deal the Canadian slugger for a fourth outfielder (Alex... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations about stories around the baseball world from a Canadian perspective (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): - Former Montreal Expos great Vladimir Guerrero, who played in the Blue Jays' minor league system for a short stretch last season, has signed with the independent Atlantic League’s Long Island Ducks, where he’ll suit up... Continue Reading →
*This article has been adapted from an article I wrote in 2002. When historians talk about legends that are part of Canadian baseball history, they often mention Babe Ruth (hit his first home run in professional baseball in Toronto) or Jackie Robinson (played in Montreal before breaking Major League’s baseball colour barrier). Seldom do they... Continue Reading →
Some Canadian baseball stories from the past week (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): Guelph, Ont., native Scott Diamond has jumped out to a commanding lead in the online voting for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award. The Minnesota Twins lefty, who won 12 games and posted a 3.54 ERA this... Continue Reading →