Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Most longtime Toronto Blue Jays fans can tell you that Bill Singer threw the first regular season pitch in the franchise's history on that snowy day at Exhibition Stadium on April 7, 1977. But who caught that first pitch? The answer is Rick Cerone, who turns 67 today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoyXVG2Xc6E... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada He was the first rifle-armed Toronto Blue Jays right fielder. Before Jesse Barfield, Shawn Green, Raul Mondesi and Jose Bautista, there was Steve Bowling. The former University of Tulsa running back was the starting right fielder for the Blue Jays in the franchise’s first game on April 7, 1977.... 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 →
Cooperstowners definitely starred in Canada on September 21, 1978. At first glance, the contest between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium that night appears to be little more than another late-season loss by the last-place Jays. However, upon closer inspection of the box score, you'll notice that three Bronx Bombers... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Dave Pagan felt numb as he peered in for a sign from Thurman Munson. And a case of nerves was understandable for a 23-year-old prairie kid who had grown up in a tiny farming community in northeast Saskatchewan and was now pitching in front of more than 28,000 boisterous... Continue Reading →