November 20, 2023

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

They came to praise former coach Gary Wilson.

A group of 14 players from one of his early Ontario Blue Jays team gathered at Shoeless Joe’s in Burlington to toast Wilson and his daughter Jodie.

Gene Bartolozzi (Hamilton, Ont.) founded the first elite team in the province -- the Hamilton Blue Jays -- playing a few weekends south of the border in 1995, grabbing players from here and there.

The brainwave earned him two things: A) a lifetime suspension from Baseball Ontario and B) a phone call from Bill Byckowski (Georgetown, Ont.) head of Canadian scouting for the Toronto Blue Jays under then general manager Gord Ash.

Byckowski’s idea was to gather the best players in the province and play as a team for the 1996 season. Bartolozzi suggested Wilson (Stoney Creek, Ont.) as the manager.

Wilson passed this summer and his ashes were spread within the past month. So, the tribute and memory-sharing session was on time. Byckowski spoke to the players, who had a lot in common: a deep respect for Wilson, all joined the Ontario Blue Jays from their club teams and all enjoyed a sentence starting “Remember that game ...”

The budget for the original Ontario Blue Jays was $15,000 -- for the whole team. Fast forward to now, or in the case of some, league standings from last spring:

_ The Canadian Premier League had 51 elite teams at five different age groups.

_ The Premier League of Ontario had 29 different teams at four age groups.

_ The Fergie Jenkins League had 48 teams at eight separate age groups.

_ The Elite League of Ontario has 62 teams at three age groups.

That’s 190 elite teams.

ONE ... HUNDRED ... and ... NINETY.

Roll that around on your tongue for a second:

All those teams ... 190 and it all began with one.

* * *

Byckowski told the assembled Ontario Blue Jays alumni how they had “changed baseball in Canada.”

“You guys were threatened: ‘Play for the Ontario Blue Jays and you will never ever be allowed to come back and play for an OBA team or the Junior National Team.’ That took a lot of guts on your part.

“When adults tell teenagers that you can never ever play again, it can be scary since adults are usually right.”

The Toronto Blue Jays scouts like Greg Minor (Oshawa, Ont.), Ed Heather (Cambridge, Ont.), Walt Jefferies (Paris, Ont.) and veteran Jim Ridley (Burlington, Ont.) rounded up players. They found major leaguers like first rounder INF Scott Thorman (Cambridge, Ont.), INF Peter Orr (Newmarket, Ont.) and Adam Stern (Port Stanley, Ont.).

They also found the likes of LHP Tim Goheen (Proton Station, Ont., with a rural population of 2,005 in 1996). Goheen beat the Ohio-based, highly-regarded Midland Redskins, with a first rounder, by a 1-0 score, getting the final out by picking a runner off first.

Like all the rest of us, Wilson was not perfect. Yet, few can dispute his impact on elite ball in the province. Some of his faves paid tribute to Wilson ...

* * *

C Adam Brayson

Born and raised: Burlington, Ont.

Age: 44.

Former team: Burlington Bulls.

Schools: Paris Junior College in Paris Tex. and Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.

Years with Ontario Blue Jays: 1997

Now lives: Carlisle, Ont.

Employed by: Enova Power, a hydro company in Waterloo region, as an equipment installer (transformers, streetlights, power lines, etc).

Baseball involvement now: “I mostly watch my kids -- Lucy is eight, Charlie is seven -- play ball in the summers and teach them fundamentals/mechanics in the backyard. I recently was asked to help some young catchers in Mississauga this winter and I’m kind of interested to start a coaching career. I was playing in an old-timers league in the Burlington area until COVID hit. I haven’t been motivated enough to get back into playing since.”

Best teammate with the Ontario Blue Jays: “As results would dictate, Peter Orr was the best I ever played with. At the time though, I thought Paul Brown was the purest hitter I had ever seen. Jon McGinn, who I grew up with since I was eight years old, had the best throwing arm I had ever seen. I never realized it until I didn’t have him on my team anymore. But the hardest worker was Chris Green. A real horse. Truth is, the whole team were all great teammates, that’s one of the reasons it was the greatest summer of my life. I made lifelong friends that never avoid my phone calls, treat me like a brother no matter how long it’s been since I saw them last.”

Most talented player you ever played against: “A kid from Montreal (Ntema Ndungidi) who ended up in the Orioles system, played for the Academie Baseball Canada that year until the draft. I can’t remember who served it up, but he hit a shot at Olympic Stadium that would still be traveling if it didn’t hit one of the low hanging speakers in the right field. But, realistically, Rick Ankiel played for Team USA that summer, he pitched against us and that was the closest I ever got to big league pitching. Matt Holliday and R.A. Dickey were on that team, too, among others.”

Favourite memories from the summer of 1997: “Travelling the continent in transport vans playing the baseball name game (which always started with then home run king Hank Aaron. The second player named had to have a first name that started with the same initial of the previous player first or last name. For example, a game would proceed like this _ Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Kelly Gruber, Gary Sheffield, Stan Musial) to pass the time. I later found out Gary cheated at the game often.”

“Racing to hotels to watch MTV which wasn’t available in Canada then and listening to Gary’s stories about his youth.

“Visiting the Midland Redskins home park and practice facility in Ohio that had alumni like (Hall of Famers) Ken Griffey, Barry Larkin and many more.

“I wore number 19 on all of my Jays jerseys that summer which were donated by the Jays from the year before and mine were worn by Frank Viola.

“Playing tournaments at the Skydome and our locker room (also used by the CFL’s Toronto Argos) was across the hall from the visiting New York Yankees. ‘Big Daddy’ Cecil Fielder walked out and caught me looking at the candy bar rack in front of their clubhouse entrance and told me that ‘It was all his and not to touch.’ Then he flipped me a bag of sunflower seeds and asked me where I was from. I was so shy and he was so huge and intimidating, I could only give a one word answers before he turned back to his locker room and wished me luck.

“I remember (New York Yankees OF) Bernie Williams poking his head into our dugout during one of our games and checking out the action. We pretended he wasn’t there, but we all knew he was there. We were grinning ear to ear and nudging each other.

“I remember sitting in the press box at SkyDome watching the Atlanta Braves do an infield/outfield practice (when teams still did that) and marveling at the arm of Andruw Jones. I had never seen anything like it before with my own eyes.

“We hosted Team USA, Australia, and others for a tournament at Skydome. The Kansas City Royals were in town, and Greg Olson came through our dugout after our game, looked at us and smiled, he nodded at us and walked out to home plate to give his father, Mr. Olson (manager of team USA) a big hug. We all stopped and watched.”

First meeting Gary Wilson: “When I first met Gary it was at the Skydome on the field. He was a third base coach for a bunch of guys that were invited to come do a tryout and have a scrimmage. I thought it was another scouting camp. Near the end of the day, Gary approached me and told me who he was and what his vision was. Then he told me that he would like me to play for him going forward, I asked him how much it would cost to play for him because money was an issue at my house. I had a job and wanted to know how many hours I was going to have to work to play ball again next summer. Gary told me it didn’t cost anything to play for him.”

“When I told my parents, they didn’t believe me. Shortly after, Gary rented a small basement at a Hamilton Community Centre and explained to all of our parents what his vision was. He was a fantastic speaker and one hell of a salesman. After he told everyone that he had selected the best players around to be on his team ... a lot of us knew each other already and knew how good our peers were, he crushed all of our dreams and told all of our parents that there was not a future big league player amongst us. He told our parents and us, right to our faces that college is the way we want to go. He told all of us that going the college route was the best life decision we could ever make. So, he won over the parents immediately. He explained how he didn’t tolerate alcohol, drugs, shenanigans, etc. from his players. And promised we would get fed and be looked after. He told everyone about contacts he had to different colleges all over the U.S. That was a big deal at the time. No one in Canada knew how to contact colleges and find schools for talented ball players to get scholarships ... It was unheard of at that time.”

Your flipper is ringing: “Gary was the only person I ever knew that had a flip phone cell phone. He seemed like he was a guy with contacts. The last thing Gary said that day in that meeting was ‘Boys, if you play for me next summer, it will be the best summer of your life’ ... And he delivered.”

Money worries: “I can’t speak for the rest, but Gary knew money was an issue for me ... even though I had a job at Tim Horton’s and my parents tried real hard, sometimes I was short of money, and couldn’t go to the movies with the guys at night, or get a bag of chips and a pop at the local store near our hotel. Gary would pull me aside and say ‘Hey Doggie, you need this?’ And he’d hand me $20 American, look the other way and say in a low voice ‘Keep this to yerself.’

“Gary called me ‘Doggie’ because he said I listened, and executed every single thing he asked me to do ... I behaved as expected as a person, I could lay a bunt anywhere he wanted it on the field ... when he put on a hit and run, I moved the runner and got on base too, but I wouldn’t do any more than that, I would only do as I was asked. I never figured it out until later, but he was right. Maybe if I was more self-motivated?”

A catcher’s make up: “Another memory that I cherish is before one of our first games, he told me on the ride there that he needed a catcher who was willing to be tough, because tough guys solidify a team. He identified as a tough guy who wasn’t afraid to punch someone in the mouth. And he claimed to be a catcher himself. We lost that game to the Niagara Renegades on a walk-off home run. The hitter celebrated more than I liked and I waited for him at the plate. He stepped around me and never actually touched the plate. His name is Matt Fortuna. The team celebrated around me until I left. Our team waited to shake hands, and in the lineup, I pulled Fortuna out of line and grabbed him by the jersey with two hands and put him on his butt and told him you don’t show up my pitchers. Our team was so pissed that we lost that game to our peers, a little bit of fisticuffs broke out. Gary smiled all the way home and told me dozens of times later in life that I galvanized our team that day and said that was the greatest loss he ever sustained in all his managing days! I take some pride in that.

Mike Hook, grey shirt, and Matt Logan, right, doing the dumping of the Gatorade after the Ontario Blue Jays won the right to go the Connie Mack World Series in Battle Creek, Mich.

Most favourite moment with the Ontario Blue Jays: “I narrowed it down to two items... one is captured by the team photo from Battle Creek where if you look closely, almost all of us are touching each other with our hands like a family photo.

“The other favourite is kind of selfish and shallow but, when we went to Farmington, New Mexico for the Connie Mack World Series, there was a huge parade for all of the participating teams. We had our own float and we were treated like celebrities. Kids came up to us for autographs. We handed out bubble gum to kids and people wanted to shake our hands. After every game in New Mexico, kids would beg us for autographs, a baseball, or some sort of memorabilia! We, or at least I, felt like a real big leaguer for that week. Every team I ever played on after that, didn’t measure up to my 1997 Ontario Blue Jays.”

OF Paul Brown

Age: 45.

Last team before Ontario Blue Jays: Windsor Selects

Grew up in: Chatham, Ont.

With the Ontario Blue Jays: 1997.

Schools: Paris Junior College, University of Louisville.

Lives now: “Grande Pointe Ont. with my wife Bonnie, our children Ryan 16 and Kailey 13.”

Baseball involvement now: “Currently coach the Chatham Kent Cubs 17u elite team.”

Best players I ever played against with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Cory Patterson, Rick Ankiel and Micheal Cudduyer.”

Best memories with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Winning the regional in Battle Creek Mich. to go to the Connie Mack in Farmington N.M. ... coming back from being down 8-2 in the first game of the World Series against New York state champs... and beating the Junior National Team and Team USA that summer would be my highlights.”

Memories of Gary Wilson: “He holds a special place in my heart. He was like a second father to me that summer and after that. I’ll never forget him choosing for us to be the visitors (rather than the norm which would be to pick home team) every game. It was so we could hit at least five or seven times because we were going to win and when we win, we wouldn’t be able to hit on the bottom of the fifth or the seventh. I remember that summer staying at his home in Stoney Creek with Donna (wife) at the time and Jodie (daughter). They treated me like their son. We went to many Blue Jays games that summer when we weren’t on the road travelling. It was the best summer of my life no doubt.”

“I’ll never forget Gary getting mad at me one game. I decided to move the runners over with a sacrifice bunt with no outs to second and third. I was happy until I got back to the bench. Gary called me over and asked ‘What the hell was that? Paul, you’re batting in the No. 3 hole for a reason and it’s not to bunt. Now look first base is open. Now they can walk the clean-up hitter and set up a double play. Now do you see why the No. 3 hole guy doesn’t bunt? I never understood until I got older.

Gary Wilson visits Brown’s Chatham Kent Cubs.

“I remember Gary coming to one of my games I was coaching my Chatham team he gave the kids a speech it was great to see him back motivating kids like he did with us. He had a way to make us believe we could beat anybody anytime anyplace and I loved that about Gary never backed down from a challenge and I try to teach my teams the way I was coached from Gary and all the other great coaches I had in my life.”

RHP Kris Ehmke

Age: 44

Grow up playing in: Peterborough Ont.

Last team before Ontario Blue Jays: Peterborough Tigers

Seasons with Ontario Blue Jays: 1997

Schools: Hill Junior College and University of Maine

Drafted: By the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 34th round, 1997 draft, 43rd round 1998 draft from Hill College.

Current job: Paramedic.

Where do you live now: Norwood, Ont.

Involvement in the game now: “I had dabbled in some coaching a few years in Peterborough but now I just watch my son and coach him on the side using the bullpen in my garage.”

Best teammate with the Ontario Blue Jays: “There’s no possible way to pick just one ‘best’ teammate. Every single person brought a unique skill/ability/personality to the team while at the same time enhancing everyone around them. We obviously had Pete Orr who made it to the majors but we also had others like Chris Begg make it to triple-A and a multitude of others that were very successful in the college ranks.”

Most talented player you ever played against while with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Michael Cuddyer, Rick Ankiel (1997 Team USA - which we defeated). Our coaching staff had been told after the game that our incredible Ontario Blue Jays team was the only team, who wasn’t a country, to beat Team USA.”

Favourite memory about playing for the Ontario Blue Jays: “Several years ago I had brain surgery to remove a benign mass and ever since then I have been unable to recount any memories from before my surgery date (baseball related or personal) so that kind of sucks.”

LHP Tim Goheen

Age: 43.

Grew up in: Proton Station Ont.

Team: Flesherton Rangers.

Seasons with the Ontario Blue Jays: 1996 and 1997.

School: Saginaw Valley State University Cardinals.

Current Job: High school principal

Currently live in: Rockford Mich.

Best Teammate ever with the Ontario Blue Jays: “All of my teammates from the Ontario Blue Jays. It was like a brotherhood for the two years I played with them.”

Most Talented: “Rick Ankiel.”

Favourite memory with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Back-to-back Connie Mack World Series appearances in 1996-97.”

Gary Wilson memory: “Sitting next to Gary on the plane to the Connie Mack World Series and talking about his pro wrestling career. He was the Masked Maniac.”

Light up the victory cigars:Chris Gratton (left), Mike Hook and Terry Chisholm after winning in Battle Creek.

Denis (Gratts) Gratton

Age: 44

Born and raised: Kitchener, Ont.

Played for: Kitchener A’s.

Played for Ontario Blue Jays: 1997-1998.

Signed with: Baltimore Orioles, 1998

Current job: General supervisor for Linmar, a manufacturing company serving mobility, access, agriculture, and MedTech industries.

Currently lives: Baden Ont.

Baseball involvement now: “Just watch now, am out of shape.”

Favourite Ontario Blue Jays teammate: “Matt Lareau.”

Most talented player you faced with Ontario Blue Jays: “At that time from what I remember I would have to say Rick Ankiel.”

Favourite memory as an Ontario Blue Jays: “Honestly it’s hard to pick just one I would have to go with the last game we played with each other which was at the Connie Mack World Series, after a long summer on the road we all had billets, we all were emotional because we knew that was the last time we’d ever play in a game together.”

Favourite Gary Wilson memory: “Let’s say I was a little bit of a wild child and I didn’t have very many options until Gary Wilson came along. This big bellied, brash, loud gentleman that I ended up looking up to kind of took me under his wing and good thing for that, I’m sure my mom and dad didn’t mind because like I said wild child. And while on the road I definitely had a longer leash than the other guys on the team. For a lot of us Gary was a father figure.”

3B Chris Green

Age: 44

Grew up in: Brampton, Ont.

Former team: Brampton Royals.

Played with the Ontario Blue Jays: 1997.

Schools: Texarkana Junior College Bulldogs and Southern Arkansas University Muleriders.

Currently employed: “By Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris company. I currently negotiate and procure multimillion dollar rocket motor cases and rocket motor contracts that are used for the department of defense through prime customers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon missile systems.”

Resides: “In Little Rock, Ark. with my wife, Jennifer Green of 19 years. We have four children: Owen Green 16, Aiden Green 13, Evan Green 10 and Emmy Jo Green two.”

Baseball involvement now: “Not involved in at all as my time is split with sports my kids are currently involved in. Owen is a successful competitive swimmer and is currently in the top of times for his age. Aiden plays competitive basketball for the Little Rock Flames as does Evan. Emmy Jo is starting dancing. All my kids are home schooled in classical conversation.”

Best teammate with the Ontario Blue Jays? “I have to say all of them. There wasn’t just one guy, this was a team top to bottom. This team was closely knitted together by Gary and assistant coaches Ernie Lewington and Steve Trout. They took guys from all over Ontario and took them in as their own for over a year of preparation before all leaving for college somewhere and life eventually. We all played against one another growing up and competed at the highest level, but when we came together to form one team, that was all that was needed to form this group of ball players that may not have been the most talented, but had the heart and desire to compete and win each and every time we stepped across the lines. We feasted off each others talents and pushed amazing teams to their brink. Beating teams like the Junior National Team, Dallas Mustangs, Midland Redskins and the U18 Team USA national teams.

Best team I played against: “The only player I remember playing against was Rick Ankiel I believe that year he was a second-round and played with the Team USA. I can’t remember if he pitched against us during the invitational tournament, I am sure he did, at then SkyDome but I do remember losing that game 3-2 (maybe 4-2) in a hard fought/pitched battle.”

My favourite memory was the entire summer of 1997: “Most of us skipped out on graduation ceremony because baseball was more important. I think we all left school early that year as we went on a trip to play south of the border. The van rides, pre-games, games, hotels, all of it was done as one team, with one plan on making it to the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington N.M.. That was the goal, that was what we trained all year for. We wanted to put Canada on the map and contribute to the legacy. Unfortunately, we fell a bit short at the World Series falling to an Orange Beach team from California, but a very successful year that contributed to the beginning of many lifetime adventures.”

The best of Gary Wilson: “What I can tell you about Gary is that he provided us all a place to play, a place to get exposed and provided the best environment to do it all. He opened his home, he cared so much about each individual and he got to know us on a personnel level. He gave his time, his most precious commodity and would provide the environment we all were seeking, baseball, everyday, everywhere. He put people involved in the game, people with the knowledge to speak to us about the game and he put them in front of us. We wanted a chance, an opportunity, a belief that we could take this game and open up doors far beyond our hometowns. I never knew exactly what Gary did for a living, in that time it wasn’t important. He was ‘Coach.’ He was the man we leaned on for our craving. He was the man that knew how to take a group of individuals and make a team were each individual was one piece to the bigger puzzle and we knew our jobs from the beginning, there was no guessing. Gary caught a lot of flake from Baseball Ontario as many players on our team were primed to play for the OBA or Baseball Canada. Gary stuck up for us when we made our decision to play for him. Getting calls from Baseball Canada telling us of the mistake we are making or the opportunity we are giving up for this team … but they didn’t know. They thought kids were dying to play for that team full of politics and what can we do for them … not Gary. Gary was not interested in what we provided to him, he was always worried about what he could provide for us.”

“Needless to say, our Ontario Blue Jays beat the Junior National Team that year, exposed people for the error of assumptions that they thought they knew what was best for us. No sir ….not that year. Talent only takes you so far. Heart and drive is what takes far past you meager talent. I’ll take heart and drive over talent any day of the week … as a team, he knew and contrasted players who had all three.

“I remember speaking with Gary though the lead up to the season wanting this team to continually get together through the winter and practice. In 1997, winter practice areas were hard to come by. The Toronto Blue Jays opened SkyDome Sunday mornings and provided us access to their cages and equipment. There are so many stories, so many memories that I have of the 12 months spent on this team, with these players and with these coaches. I have the greatest memories that will last me a lifetime and the one who made this all happen was a fine man from Stoney Creek, who wanted nothing more than an opportunity to provide kids a place to grow, mature, and take there game to the next level. R. I. P. Gary Wilson, forever a coach, forever a friend, forever the summer of 1997.”

Pitching coach Orv Harron, left, and Wilson

RHP Craig (Hawk) Hawkins

Age: 44

Grew up in: Burlington, Ont.

Last team before Ontario Blue Jays: Burlington Bulls.

Seasons with Ontario Blue Jays 1996 and 1997: (Tim Goheen and Hawkins were the only two who played the first two seasons).

School: Bradley University (Peoria Ill.), graduated 2001 with BS Degree in Radio Television Broadcasting, Minored in Public speaking.

Current job: Senior Superintendent at Smartcentres Construction Management (which builds high rise condos)

Now lives: Waterdown Ont.

Baseball involvement now: “Coached both of my kids from the time they were five until they were 10. My son Colton is now 13 and my daughter Taylor is 10. Until I had my second arm surgery (labrum, after a Tommy John) I had to pack it in (at age 34) after playing in a men’s league.”

Best Ontario Blue Jays teammate: “I honestly can’t name a best or favourite teammate, but he best leader was Jamie Pogue (Guelph, Ont.) and perhaps the best player at that level was Pat Lynch (Milton, Ont.) both in 1996.”

Most talented players you ever played against with the Ontario Blue Jays: Matt Holiday or Rick Ankiel.

Favourite memory of playing for the Ontario Blue Jays: “Spending time with the boys at the hotels, bus trips, van trips and all that winning we did for two years (back-to-back Connie Mack World Series trips).”

Best memory about Gary Wilson and what he meant to you: “Buddha says ‘what you think you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine you create.’ Gary was like that. He instilled a tremendous amount of confidence in all of us. He made us think we were champions (and we became champions). He understood the team dynamic and how to motivate certain players (he attracted like mindlessness of synergy). He created such a bond with the players that we became bigger (a better unit), than the sum of our parts. Gary was the lead Lion and he taught of us how to become kings of our own jungles.”

“Gary would have us stand up for ourselves those first two years. The teams, scouts, coaches, parents and players down south gave us little credit. We had to earn it. We earned it on the field and boy oh boy, did we demand it (verbally) off of it. We would beat you and then tell you about it (to those who didn’t show us respect.”

“Intimidation was Gary’s calling card! He would use psychological warfare on good teams. We would take batting practice without baseballs. Infield without balls or gloves. He once did a complete infield and outfield in pantomime, and no one said a word. Talk about unorthodox; but we loved it! It taught us, it was okay to be different. It was okay to think outside the box, it was okay to use unconventional methods to lead. Gary was a lot of things, and most definitely, he was a master. I ... We ... all loved Gary.”

Paul Brown, left, and Mike Hook inducted into the Ontario Blue Jays Hall of Fame

OF Michael Hook

Age: 44

Grew up: Brampton, Ont.

Last team before Ontario Blue Jays: Junior National Team.

Seasons with Ontario Blue Jays: 1997

Schools: Winthrop University (1997-1998), University of Louisville (1998-2001)

Current job: Director of Sales, North America, FCM Travel (Flight Centre Travel Group).

Now lives: Ancaster, Ont.

Baseball involvement now: “Currently on the Ancaster Little League board of directors. Coach my son, Gabe, in 9U All-star program. Last year coached him on the 8U team, going 16-0 and winning the Dundas, Stoney Creek tournaments and the World T-ball championship in Ancaster.”

Best teammate you ever had with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Terry Chisholm, we were best friends then and still are today, so the opportunity to share the experience with him was amazing.”

Most talented player you ever played against with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Offensively Michael Cuddyer and pitching Rick Ankiel.

Favourite memory about playing for the Ontario Blue Jays: “It’s hard to narrow it down to one favourite memory since the entire summer remains one of the best of my life and playing career. The group of guys were all amazing players but not one guy had an ego and bought into the team game. Wining the Battle Creek Regional was pretty amazing but the experience of playing at the Connie Mack World Series was a special way to cap off the summer.”

Best story Gary Wilson and what he meant to you: “What Gary did pulling this group of players together and building a family atmosphere was incredible. He was clear from the beginning on everyone’s role and the expectation he had for each player. I believe this put each of us in a position to be ourselves and find success. I remember the first game I played for the Blue Jays in the fall of 1996. I had just made the decision to not return to Team Canada and had put pressure on myself to prove I was one of the best outfielders in the province. That first game we played, I struggled as I pressed and I believe I might have struck out a couple times. Following the game Gary pulled me aside and said ‘Why are you pressing? We wanted to you to be our leadoff hitter and centre fielder. You have succeed at every level. Stop worrying you will be leading off and playing centre field every game. Go out and have and play your game!’ From that moment on I was confident, relaxed and played some of the best baseball of my career. Gary cared for his players and it allowed all of us to succeed. Him showing up at my induction to the Ontario Blue Jays Hall of Fame was special and I am thankful for the opportunity he and his coaching staff gave me and us that summer.”

RHP Matthew Lareau

Age: 45

Grew up in: Burlington

Last team before Ontario Blue Jays: Burlington Bulls

Seasons with Ontario Blue Jays: 1997

School: Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC, Big South Conference.

Current job: Associate Vice President, Leasing for Adgar Canada (Commercial Real Estate)

Lives now: Burlington, Ont.

Baseball involvement now: “Watching/coaching my 10-year-old son (Jake).”

Best teammate you ever had with the Ontario Blue Jays: “We were all brothers that year. We were all super close. The Burlington boys -- Jon McGinn, Brad Hawkins, Adam Brayson -- were all close, however I would host Quinn Peel and Denis Gratton at my home many times through the summer.

Most talented player you ever played against while with the Ontario Blue Jays: “This team was the most talented collective of players I ever played with. It was special. We all believed in each other and cheered for each other. We made each other great. Simply watching our team warm up was disheartening for our competitors. Batting practice was a fireworks show. Our infielders smooth and flawless. Our outfielders throwing bullets from their positions. Then our pitching staff would get on the mound and would light up the radar gun for 17/18-year-olds with plain old dirty off-speed pitches.

The Battle Creek bucket emptying from a different angle: Matt Logan, back left and Denis Gratton doing the dumpining. With Mike Hook, left and Terry Chisolm in front.

Favourite memory about playing for the Ontario Blue Jays: “Beating the US and Canadian national teams, winning our regional in Battle Creek, Mich. and then representing our country in the Connie Mack World Series.”

Best story about Gary Wilson and what he meant to you: “Gary created so many great memories (both printable and perhaps not printable). My favourite memory of Gary, what I think about every time I think about him, is how he entrenched confidence in us as ball players and young men. From how we carry ourselves on and off the ball field to rolling up to a game with the windows in both vans rolled down blasting 2 Live Crew to make sure the other team saw us roll in and get out of the car with our Ontario Blue Jays swagger, it let the other team know it was going to be a long tough day for them. Confidence is paramount in highly competitive baseball, and we certainly had that. Also, we used to love Gary’s stories about wrestling and he’d tell us he used to be a competitive (WWF style) wrestler and he would go into character with a dead straight face like he was going to fight you and no matter what you’d do he wouldn’t break character. Gary treated us like we were his sons. He clearly cared about us and our success, beyond the game in front of us.”

OF Jon McGinn

Age 44

Grew up in: Burlington.

Last team before Ontario Blue Jays: Burlington Bulls

Seasons with Ontario Blue Jays: 1997

Schools: Middle Georgia College (now Middle Georgia State University), Ryerson (bachelor of science), Lawrence Tech (masters of architecture).

Current job: Architect, owner Chamberlain Architect Services Limited, Burlington.

Currently lives: Burlington.

Baseball involvement now: “This will be my first year helping coach my nine-year -old son’s triple-A rep team in Burlington.”

Best teammate with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Craig Hawkins ... we were best friends through high school and our younger rep years.”

Most talented player you ever played against with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Corey Paterson, who played centre field for the Midland Redskins. He was a first rounder and ended up playing for 12 years for the Cubs, Blue Jays, Orioles, Nationals, Reds and the Cardinals. I remember thinking this guy has to make it. He was a true five-tool player.”

Favourite memory playing for the Ontario Blue Jays: “Connie Mack World Series hands down it was an amazing experience, the travel, the time with the team and the reception from the fans. Everything about it was amazing.”

Best story about Gary and what he meant to you: “Gary was always a believer in my skills as a ball player, even through some struggling times (which there where playing against amazing calibre players/teams) while on the team he always said, ‘No matter what happens you’re my guy.’ He ran me out to right field every game. My career was short lived after the Ontario Blue Jays ending with a fluke case of irregular heartbeat (ending my college career), but playing for that team gave me great confidence as a player and really helped me as a college player and even the years afterwards playing in the Intercounty Baseball League for fun. It’s amazing 25-plus years later the link to those earlier Ontario Blue Jays teams really solidified my place as talented player coming out of Canada in the late 1990s (more so than the provincial and national teams which we turned down playing for.)”

INF Quin Peel

Age: 43

Hometown: Manotick, Ont.

Team prior to the Ontario Blue Jays: Ottawa Nationals.

Seasons with Ontario Blue Jays: 1997-98.

Schools: North Central Texas College Lions and University of Maine (Orono) Black Bears.

Resides now: Scarborough, Maine.

Current job: Chief Operating Officer, Smith & Wilkinson, an executive search and consulting firm in Scarborough, Maine.

Current involvement: “Taught my daughter, Addyson, 15, how to play. Addyson played boys Little League and now plays varsity softball in high school. Coached my son, Greyson 13 through Little League. Both kids are primarily hockey players but both enjoy baseball also. Married to Lynn.”

Best Teammate: “Not a fan of the question as all were fantastic to play with. Was close with Matt Laureau since I basically billeted with him most of the 1997 summer. Also, being a middle infielder, I was close with Pete Orr and Darin Wahl that same summer.”

Best Opponents: “Rick Ankiel (by far), Austin Kearns, Cory Patterson.

Best Memory with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Has to be playing in the World Series in New Mexico. Everything about that trip gave you the feeling of playing at the next level. The fans, the level of play, the schedule, the treatment you got as a player.”

Best Gary Wilson memory: “The looonnggg van rides with Gary is where you needed to be a sponge. His knowledge of baseball history was unmatched, and so to were the endless baseball trivia games and countless stories of folklore that he told which made the journeys through the middle of the US seem like a split second. As I said in the initial intro, without Gary’s influence and direction, my journey through baseball is nonexistent. I do not experience the many successes and failures of playing Division 1 without playing for him. I do not meet my wife, have two outstanding kids, and have my unbelievable family without playing for him. I do not get to see the places I’ve been, tell the stories that most don’t get to tell, and have lifelong friendships 25 years later, without Gary Wilson.”

INF-RHP Scott Thorman

Age: 41

Grew up in: Cambridge Ont.

Former team: Cambridge Cubs.

Played for Ontario Blue Jays: 1998-1999.

Grew up playing for: Cambridge Cubs

School: Committed to South Carolina, drafted and signed by Atlanta Braves.

Current job: Minor League Field Coordinator Kansas City Royals.

Resides: Kitchener, Ont.

Best teammate you ever had with the Ontario Blue Jays) “Adam Stern.”

Most talented player you ever played against with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Shelley Duncan.”

Favourite memory about playing with the Ontario Blue Jays: “Going to tournaments, travelling in the vans with Gary.”

What Gary Wilson meant to you: “Gary treated me like a son ... he even took me to Disney World.”

2B Darin Wahl

Age: 44

Hometown: Waterloo

Last team before Ontario Blue Jays: Waterloo Warriors.

Seasons with Ontario Blue Jays: 1997

Schools: Hill Junior College, Niagara University.

Current job: producer, Sportsnet Central.

Now lives: Toronto

Involvement with the game now: “Only beer league softball for me at this point!”

Best teammate with the Ontario Blue Jays: “It has to be Pete Orr. He went from being the No. 9 hole hitter on the Ontario Blue Jays to the only one from our team that year to play in the majors.”

Most talented player you ever played against: “Rick Ankiel. After beating the US National Junior team in the round robin of a tournament at the SkyDome, Ankiel shut us down ... and was pitching in the majors two years later.”

Favourite memory about playing for the Ontario Blue Jays: “There are so many, it’s hard to choose just one. Gary promised us the best summer of our lives, and it was for so many reasons. The Connie Mack World Series was incredible beginning with a parade through the city (Farmington, N.M.), having fans lined up for our autographs, and playing in front of thousands of fans, I’ll never forget that week.

“But my favourite memory was beating the Junior National Team. We were given a choice ... and playing for Ontario Blue Jays meant we would not be selected to play for Canada. So to go out and beat them ... and show the calibre of players they were missing out on, was some vindication for the choice we made.”

Best memory about Gary Wilson: “What I’ll remember most about Gary was how honest he was with all of us. From the reality of the risks we were taking joining the team ... to promises of multiple scholarship offers ... to the day-to-day coaching, he never sugar coated anything and was always up front. We had a team of wildly different personalities, and Gary never tried to change anyone. He worked so well with everyone’s individual personalities and skill sets to form the best team I ever played on.

“And what Gary meant to me (and I’m guessing this is true for most players he coached) is he literally changed my life. Not only for the memories and moments we had as a team throughout the summer of 1997 ... but he exposed us to way more scouts and schools who otherwise would not have seen us in Canada. To get my school paid for and directly lead me to the career and industry I’ve been in for 20-plus years ... I wouldn’t be the same person I am today without the summer with Gary.”

Drafted players and free agent signs from Wilson’s teams (1996-99):

1996: 32nd Tigers LHP John Ogiltree (Mississauga, Ont.); free-agent Blue Jays RHP Pat Lynch (Milton, Ont.).

1997: 7th Cubs RHP Paul Vracar (Stoney Creek, Ont.), 35th Twins RHP Craig Hawkins (Burlington, Ont.), 39th Rangers SS Peter Orr (Newmarket, Ont.).

1998: 9th Blue Jays LHP Steve Murray (Ennismore, Ont.), 10th Expos RHP Ryan Grantham (Burlington, Ont.), 18th Orioles RHP Denis Gratton (Kitchener, Ont.), 22nd Blue Jays OF Adam Stern (Port Stanley, Ont.), 28th Giants RHP Chad Ertel (St. Clements, Ont.), 43rd Blue Jays RHP Travis Beckham (Port Dover, Ont.), free agent Toronto Blue Jays, 1B Matt Logan (Brampton, Ont.); Free agent, Braves, Orr.

1999: 32nd Orioles OF Keven Virtue (London, Ont.); 37th Blue Jays RHP Robert Findlay (Etobicoke, Ont.); 38th Blue Jays RHP Mike Tisdale (Peterborough, Ont.); 43rd Mets C Ryan Hay (Niagara Falls, Ont.); 46th Orioles C-1B Pat Tobin (Pickering, Ont.); 48th Orioles RHP Mike Roga (Pickering, Ont.). Free agentC Jamie Pogue (Guelph, Ont.), Old Dominion.

Drafted players who played for Wilson

2000 _ 1st (30 overall) Braves Scott Thorman (Cambridge, Ont.) Team Ontario; 19th Orioles Shayne Ridley (Milton, Ont.), Ball State; 34th Blue Jays INF Jeremy Ridley (Milton, Ont.) Ball State; 34th Athletics Robbie Findlay (Etobicoke, Ont.) Seminole State (FL).

2001 _ 3rd Braves OF Adam Stern (Port Stanley, Ont.); 5th Mariners, Nebraska: OF John Cole (Ottawa, Ont.) Nebraska; 12th Mets OF Derran Watts (Mississauga, Ont.); 45th, University of British Columbia; 1B Giants Karl Amonite (Essex, Ont.), Auburn University.

Elliott: Former players came to praise Gary Wilson -- Updated