Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
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 →
*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 →
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 →
With five World Series rings, he’s Canada’s Mr. October. Unfortunately, the vast majority of baseball fans don’t know who he is. “Not even hardcore Yankees fans are going to remember George Selkirk,” said Richard Tofel, author of A Legend in the Making: The New York Yankees in 1939, in a 2009 interview. Born in Huntsville,... Continue Reading →
I recently joined the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). My membership paid immediate dividends when I appealed to members for information about Canada’s Mr. October, George Selkirk. Dubbed “Twinkletoes” for his distinct running style, Selkirk was arguably the greatest Canadian player of the first half of the 20th century. Suiting up alongside immortals like... Continue Reading →
