Buck Martinez, a Blue Jays player, broadcaster and manager steps away from the microphone.

February 15, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

A few stories about story teller Buck Martinez ...

Buck was a player (17 years in the majors, six with your Toronto Blue Jays).

He was a broadcaster (1987-2000, plus 2010-2025 for the Blue Jays and 2003-2009 with Mid-Atlantic Sports Network covering Baltimore Orioles).

And he was a manager of the Jays (2001-02).

Now, Martinez says he won’t be back for the 2026 system. Fans will miss him.

Phil Bradley, the form Missouri quarterback, cracks Martinez at the plate in Seattle.

1985, The Kingdome, Seattle.

Buck’s story a lot of Jays fans remember came July 8. The game was scoreless in the bottom of the third. You’ve heard of bang-bang plays. Buck was involved in a bang-bang-BOOM! play with former Missouri Tigers starting quarterback Phil Bradley.

Bradley led off by with a single to centre facing Tom Filer. One out later, Filer balked Bradley to second. Gorman Thomas singled to right and Jesse Barfield unleashed a Barfieldian throw which beat Bradley to the plate. Bradley hit Martinez the way Josh Allen runs over people when he scrambles downfield.

Thomas, who went to second on the throw home, saw the prostrate Martinez and took off for third. Despite what turned out to be a broken leg, Martinez attempted to throw Thomas out. The throw sailed over third baseman Garth Iorg and George Bell fielded the ball and fired home for the not-so-routine 9-2-7-2 double play. It was the first in major-league history.

Thomas, a former Martinez teammate with the Milwaukee Brewers, saw his pal was in pain and tried to sidestep the catcher. Some, maybe even Buck said, “it was the only accurate throw George Bell made.”

Yet, four innings later, Bell threw out Al Cowens at third while Barfield also threw out Jim Presley at the plate. The Jays won 9-4 in 13 innings on Bell’s grand slam off Ed Vande Berg,

* * *

1985, La Guardia, Marriott.

Two weeks later I woke up in a New York hotel to a phone call from the boss after Rick Aguilera had beaten the Expos to drop them five games out of first in the National League East.

“You’re in the wrong city,”

Pardon.

“If we are going to spend money on baseball we’re covering the wrong team -- get to Baltimore, the first-place Blue Jays just called up Tom Henke.”

And off we went to Baltimore to cover the Jays the rest of the season.

* * *

1985, Exhibition Stadium.

Doyle Alexander got New York Yankees’ Ron Hassey to pop up to left. George Bell caught the ball for the final out, sunk to his knees in excitement and hugged shortstop Tony Fernandez. The victory gave the Jays their first Amerrican League East title before 44,608.

Inside the clubhouse, probably 90 minutes after the final pitch with the champagne spritzed and the beer sprayed a booming voice yelled:

“Hey, let’s toast the injured guys who helped get us here: to Gary Lavelle and Buck.”

All the players took another drink.

* * *

1992, Runyon’s Saloon, New York.

Leading into the Nov. 17 expansion draft -- for the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins -- there was a dash to find the list of 15 players each club could protect. An old friend from the Expos gave me the Jays list, which Pat Gillick denied. It turned out to be was accurate.

Off we went to New York and the night before the draft, I received a call from Buck wanting to take me for diner at the original Runyon’s, a place we used to frequent post game with coaches and umpires. It was a late-night gathering spot for writers and media figures.

I figured we were just going to talk ball. We did, but Buck had questions? “Why did they protect this guy? Why didn’t they protect that guy?”

I didn’t have any answers. All I had was the list. I was of little help. We had steaks and Buck paid.

* * *

1995, Camden Yards, Baltimore.

In August my boss, Scotty Morrison, phoned to tell me that I should head to Baltimore. I asked why. He explained I should be there for Cal Ripken breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record streak.

Over the years we’d been flown to ...

_ Minneapolis and then drove through the Iowa cornfields to see Paul Molitor collect his 3,000 hit in Kansas City.

_ Dallas, then a cab to Arlington, Tex. and then Milwaukee to see Nolan Ryan win his 300th.

_ Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and back to San Fran to watch Barry Bonds break Babe Ruth’s single-season home record.

Plus Tony Gwynn’s 3,000th hit and a bunch of records by Pete Rose.

Now, they were all accomplishments. What was Ripken going to do run out onto the field in the fifth?

But I had zero clue what awaited in Baltimore.

As soon as the game became official, there was a dramatic timpani of trumpets and then a John Tesh song “Day One” played.

Next, the new huge number dropped from the B&O warehouse in right field inching Ripen closer to the record. Some nights at Camden Yards it was after 4 1/2 innings (if the O’s led) and some night if was after five (if they trailed).

Chris Berman, left, President Clinton and Martinez in the broadcast booth.

Buck was there working the record-breaking game for ESPN along with Chris Berman and I read they interviewed President Clinton early in the game.

I know I am a softie but when the fifth inning came, the music played, record-breaking number dropped, the sold-out crowd of 46,272 gave Ripken a lengthy standing ovation. Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Bonilla pushed Ripken into making a lap of the field. Somewhere down the right field line -- soaked in emotion -- I found myself crying. Then, I looked up to see a cameraman with a hand-help camera zeroing in on me. Yikes.

Even the visiting California Angels walked over and shook hands with Ripken offering him congrats.

Buck and Berman were given rave reviews the next day by all the TV columnists which were all the rage in the 1990s. Buck and Berman did not speak for 19 minutes.

Next time I saw Buck behind the batting cage in Toronto, I explained I’d been in the press box so didn’t see the broadcast but had seen highlights and read about the broadcast. I complimented him on their silence ... they let the pictures tell the story.

Said Buck: “There was a reason we didn’t say anything for 19 minutes ... neither one of us could speak.”

We read Berman quotes where he cried too. Happy tears.

The broadcast earned ESPN an Emmy, prompting ESPN president Steve Bornstein to send every employee a VHS copy of the game as an end-of-year gift.

* * *

2001, Bobby Mattick Complex, Dunedin.

Fans see the pre-season games each spring, but before that there is a week to 10 days of batting practice, pitcher’s fielding practice and the pitching staff throwing bullpens. Basically guys playing catch.

If we heard it once, we heard 10 times that spring from Buck and pitching coach Mark Connor:

“Did you see Roy Halladay’s bullpen today? Wow!” both would say in amazement. “He’s going to have a great year.”

Halladay was coming off a year in which he registered the highest ERA of any starter (10.64 in 13 starts).

Skipper Buck Martinez with future Cy Young award winner Roy Halladay

2001, Grant Field, Dunedin.

The games began. Halladay would set down the first five in order, there would be a bloop hit, a walk and then a series of gappers by the opposition. This continued throughout the spring.

The flowers of journalism walked into manager Martinez’s office post-game and he announced Halladay would not be coming north. They were demoting him.

“To Syracuse?” someone asked.

Martinez shook his head no.

“Oh, double-A Knoxville?” Due to the weather at triple-A Syracuse? someone asked. It was common practice for the Jays to avoid upstate New York’s chilly weather for pitchers coming off injuries.

Martinez shook his head no and said “Dunedin.”

“Is he hurt?” someone asked. Martinez shook his head no.

Whether it was GM Gord Ash, the wise Bobby Mattick, Martinez or Connor, it was the right decision. After 11 starts at Dunedin, five at Knoxville and two at Syracuse, Halladay was back on the Hall of Fame highway. Scott Breeden, Mattick and others put Halladay’s delivery and composure back together again. As Ash said, “The kid did it himself.”

* * *

2002, manager’s office, Grant Field, Dunedin.

I’m sure Buck was displeased with what I wrote a number of times, but the only time I knew of came in spring training.

I’d written about Shannon Stewart and spoke to Martinez after the game. Stewart’s agent returned my call about 10 p.m. and said some strong things: how the Jays had promised him the No. 3 spot in the batting order during the off season.

After reading the paper, Buck called me into his office. I had not been called into the office since grade 5 at Rideau Public School in Kingston. (Well, Montreal Expos manager Dick Williams called me in for a Dixie Cup of Scotch in 1980 at Olympic Stadium. I poured it into a plant when he went to shower.)

“What time did the agent call you back and why didn’t you call me?” Martinez asked. Well, we used to phone players and managers during the off-season if a trade was made, but never during the season or during the spring after spending eight or nine hours at the park with them. I do not remember if I had his phone number.

2015, Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City,

As a lead-up to the Blue-Jays-Royals ALCS, I was writing about memories of the 1985 ALCS when KC rallied from down 3-1 to beat Toronto. I asked Buck if he would ask his old roomie George Brett to give me a call. I’d talked to Brett a number of times, but he didn’t call.

After Game 1, Ken Fidlin and I were at the post-game reception waiting for traffic to clear. Just then, Brett was leaving after the 5-0 Game 1 win. He spotted us and rushed over.

“Bobby, Bobby, Buck asked me to phone you but I have this new phone -- I can’t find the dang message, I’m so sorry -- what’s your number again?” Brett said.

What was great about the exchange was a New York writer arrived, “Hey George, can I ask you about ...”

Brett wheeled and said, “Can’t you see I am busy?”

While Brett didn’t make the original column idea, he called the next day and I wrote a column on him.

2017, Okotoks, Alta.,

A story that illustrates Buck’s love of the game and this country came Jan. 28.

He was booked to speak, along with a college coach from south of the border, for the 10th annual Okotoks Dawgs banquet.

The college coach did not show.

Martinez had every reason to bail, too. He had been in hometown of Sacramento, Calif. the night before where he was inducted into a Hall of Fame. Buck phoned the Dawgs to explain he did not get his hotel wake up call and missed his original flight. Buck asked banquet organizer Angie Cox he was still wanted even though he was going to get in late. Cox said, “Yes, please.”

Buck arrived in Calgary after 9 p.m. and Steve Lloyd, father of current St. Louis Cardinal farmhand, sped him to the banquet hall 45 minutes away. Then, he gave a grand-slam speech and said he was the reason the game had taken off in Canada.

“You guys beat us 8-6 in the first World Baseball Classic and it was all because of me -- I was managing Team USA,” he said jokingly.

Year unknown, Busch Stadium, St. Louis.

One post-season, ESPN’s Dan Shulman and Buck were in the same press box.

Shulman said, “We’re putting the band back together,” and walked off. I set out in quick pursuit. He finally told me it was a joke.

Since it was a chilly night, I was wearing my son’s Erindale Cardinals jacket with a cardinal over the heart. Buck called me into the booth, ripped off a piece of duck tape and applied it over the logo.

“You can’t let the other team think you are cheering for the Cardinals,” Buck said. A wise move on his part.

* * *

2005, Dolphins Stadium, Miami Garden, Fla.

On opening day, I walked into the third base dugout and said hello to Marlins’ Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Van Horne, future Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves and Buck seated together.

Cox thanked me for coming, which puzzled me.

“You drove all the way over here from Dunedin to see your rookie Peter Orr in his major-league debut,” Cox said. “He’s not in the starting lineup, but I’ll try and get him into the game for you.”

Buck started to laugh and said “Coxie, he’s here for the Marlins first baseman, not your guy.”

As always Buck knew the lay of the land ... what was going on ... seemingly in the clubhouse of all 30 clubhouses.

First baseman Carlos Delgado made his Marlins debut that day. He struck out on three pitches facing future Hall of Famer John Smoltz in the first. Then, he hit a two-run single off Smoltz in the second, doubled off Jorge Sosa in the fourth, had a run-scoring single against Adam Bernero in the sixth and a single facing Tom Martin in a 9-0 Marlins romp. A 4-for-5 debut day.

Orr replaced second baseman Marcus Giles in the sixth and grounded out in his only at-bat facing odd Jones.

* * *

Year unknown, Grant Field, Dunedin.

One day at the old lunchroom down the third base line, Buck and I shared a table and were shooting the breeze before the game. There were only the two of us seated at a table for four.

We noticed Tom Cheek, his face flushed a rosy pink stomp into the room, go through the food line quickly, come to our table and slam down his paper plate. He didn’t say hello to either of us.

Buck kicked me under the table and with his biggest smile said, “So Tom, how did golf go this morning?”

Cheek was not amused. We were.

* * *

2013, Rogers Centre.

The best part of talking ball with Buck was behind the cage. You could learn so much from the veteran. Especially if you opened with “Bucko, what did you of think of that catcher going to one knee with a man on third last night?”

Like one night on another subject, he said “Jack Morris and I phoned Tom Seaver last night ... we had to tell him what happened.” How many people in Toronto phoned Seaver back in the day, besides Dr. Ron Taylor?

* * *

2021, phoning New York.

I found a post that a long-time Blue Jays employee had passed. His family did not have the fund to bury him.

I called BAT (Baseball Assistant Team) which helps out former pro players and spoke to an executive about them getting involved. He asked if I knew who was the current BAT president.

I did not know.

“Well it’s Buck Martinez,” he said.

I said never mind, Buck will look after it.

Buck looked after it.

Action Sports’ Frank Boal interviews George Brett and Martinez

2023, Cooperstown.

Someone bumped from behind. I turned ...

“Hello you ... you with the Buck Martinez hair.” It was Buck’s old roomie George Brett. I explained Buck had better hair.

* * *

I’ll miss seeing Buck around next season.

But there will always be a reminder of Buck. If you have ever been there early enough for batting practice, you have seen that velvet rope which is set for fans before games. Once a lady asked if I could ask Buck to come over. I said, “We really are not supposed to ask people to do that.”

Some 15 minutes Buck asked, “So you have friends behind the rope.” I answered “No, she wanted me to drag you over there -- no way I was bugging you.”

And off Buck went to say hello, sign autographs and have his picture taken. I have seen him sign at that rope 1,000s of times since.

He was a player, a manager, a broadcaster for the Blue Jays and above all ... a goodwill ambassador.

Elliott: A few of 40 years of Martinez memories with Buck