Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
Jay Schroeder, the Toronto Blue Jays' 1979 first-round pick, stretches with coach Jimy Williams at Blue Jays spring training in Dunedin, Fla., in 1981. Photo: Toronto Star Archives/Toronto Public Library July 6, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada The Toronto Blue Jays have had their share of outstanding first-round picks, but they have also... Continue Reading →
Toronto Mets alum and Wright State Raiders infielder Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) has a chance to go in the first round of the MLB Draft today. Photo: Wright State Athletics By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: -The first round of the MLB draft starts tonight... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada It's been a tough year, a really tough year. Over 340,000 Americans and more than 15,000 Canadians have died from the coronavirus (COVID-19) and it hasn't spared former big leaguers. Sadly, Tom Seaver, Jay Johnstone, Rick Baldwin and Lindy McDaniel were among those who lost their battle with the... Continue Reading →
June 14, 2020 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: - Veteran right-handers Scott Mathieson and Scott Richmond, who were both born in Vancouver, had hoped to pitch for Canada at the Olympics this summer and then retire. With the Olympics postponed until 2021, however, both... Continue Reading →
June 11, 2020 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Tom Goffena, the first player the Toronto Blue Jays ever selected in the MLB June amateur draft, has passed away at the age of 61. According to his friend, Mark Bulle, Goffena had been battling colon cancer for the past 10 years. "Tom passed away... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · In case you missed it, Burnaby, B.C., native Jim Adduci was called up by the Chicago Cubs on Monday. With the promotion, he became the 11th Canadian to play in the major leagues this season and the second to suit up for the Cubs.... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · The MLB Draft is set to begin tomorrow night at 7 p.m. E.T. in Secaucus, N.J. Thanks to the compensatory pick they will receive from the Cleveland Indians for Edwin Encarnacion, the Toronto Blue Jays will have two first-round selections (22nd and 28th overall).... 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 →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada He’s the answer to a famous Blue Jays trivia question. Who was the first player to be selected by the team in the June amateur draft? The answer is Tom Goffena, a promising, high school shortstop out of Sidney, Ohio, whom the Jays nabbed 25th overall in the 1977... Continue Reading →