Mark Whicker: Numbers indicate finding “Next Willie Mays” will be difficult
“For those of a certain age, the death of Willie Mays was a ride in the Wayback Machine. America knew him through black-and-white film clips, since major league baseball was rarely televised nationally, and through the power of oral history. People were transfixed by the catch he made in the 1954 World Series, off Vic Wertz in the Polo Grounds. They were stunned, and thrilled, to learn that Mays thought other catches were better. Through such limited visibility, people came to think that Mays brought a bag of thrills every time he came to the ballpark.”
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Elliott: R. I. P. The Baby Bull HOFer Orlando Cepeda
Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott remembers Orlando Cepeda, the Hall of Fame slugger, who passed away on Friday at the age of 86.
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Guerrero Jr. finalist in MLB All-Star Game voting
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) is one of the finalists at first base in the American League for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game voting.
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Glew: Mays loved to hit at Montreal's Jarry Park
Canadian Baseball Network editor Kevin Glew shares some of Willie Mays’ Canadian connections, including how he loved to hit at Montreal’s Jarry Park.
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Josh Naylor named AL Player of the Week
Cleveland Guardians slugger Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) has been named American League Player of the Week.
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A's place Toro on IL
The Oakland A’s have placed infielder Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) on the injured list with a strained right hamstring.
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BWDIK: Black, Fanning, Naylor, O'Neill, Paxton, Smith, Thomson
Canadian Baseball Network editor Kevin Glew’s latest “But What Do I Know?” column discusses James Paxton, Tyler O’Neill, Josh Naylor, Cade Smith, Rob Thomson and Willie Mays.
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Elliott: R. I. P. Tic Langlois, father of The Hip's guitar man Paul Langlois
Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott pays tribute to Adrien (Tic) Langlois, who was the best Kingston Collegiate Blue high school football coach he never played for. Langlois passed away on June 17 at the age of 86.
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Toronto collector Simpson focused on Canadian ball hall cards
For Matt Simpson, a George Gibson card is as treasured as a Honus Wagner card.
That’s what happens when you focus your collection on Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees.
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Brewers recall Tyler Black
The Milwaukee Brewers recalled Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) on Wednesday. It was the Canadian’s second big league promotion of the season.
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Elliott: Willie Mays and me at Coopterstown
Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott’s remembers Willie Mays.
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Antonacci: Thanks to Brock University honour, it's now Dr. Fergie Jenkins
It’s Dr. Fergie Jenkins now, thanks to an honorary degree bestowed upon the baseball great by Brock University last week. Canadian Baseball Network writer J.P. Antonacci has the story.
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Mark Whicker: Velocities up, 115 arms on 60-day IL, batting averages down
“The human body wasn’t designed to fling a baseball 100 mph.
It also wasn’t designed to watch ESPN try to broadcast hockey, but that’s another discussion.
Whether the cause is unnatural velocity, improved diagnostics, a de-emphasis on throwing at an early age, or the pernicious influence of a villain named Max Effort, it’s a great time to be an elbow surgeon.
As of Saturday, there were 115 pitchers on MLB’s 40-man rosters that were on the 60-day injured list, mostly with shoulder or elbow miseries.”
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Antonacci: Family shares in Martin's Canadian ball hall honour
“Before he sent baseballs over the wall at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, Russell Martin blasted long drives over his uncles’ heads at a Montreal sandlot.
“My brother got to pitch, and I had to play the outfield. So, I was always the one chasing the ball, because he was always hitting it over the fence,” Keith Martin recalled with a smile.
“So, I had to go run after it, which I didn’t really like.”
The Canadian catcher has a large extended family on his father’s side, but his first cousin, Erika Martin, said Russell is the only star athlete in the bunch, making him a top draft pick in the family’s annual Thanksgiving ballgames.”
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Naylor to be presented with Tip O’Neill Award at Rogers Centre on Father’s Day
Cleveland Guardians slugger Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) will be presented with the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2023 Tip O’Neill Award today at Rogers Centre.
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Shushkewich: Emotional Martin enters Canadian ball hall
“For over 14 years, Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) was on the biggest stage in professional baseball, appearing in front of hundreds of thousands of fans every time he stepped onto the field.
Today, the former Toronto Blue Jays backstop took on another stage, one that saw him earn one of the highest honours for a Canadian baseball player in the smalltown of St. Marys, Ont.
Martin was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame as part of their 2024 class, joining a prestigious group of individuals who had a positive impact on Canadian baseball. Splitting his time between the Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Yankees from 2006 to 2019, he retired as one of the top catchers from north of the border.”
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BWDIK: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame/Father's Day edition
Canadian Baseball Network editor Kevin Glew’s “But What Do I Know?” column is a Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction day/Father’s Day edition.
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Martin, Key, Stephenson, Heisler, Godfrey, Birnie to be inducted into Canadian ball hall on Saturday
Six new members will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in a ceremony on the Hall of Fame grounds on Saturday. Former Toronto Blue Jays all-stars Russell Martin (East York, Ont.) and Jimmy Key will be inducted alongside national team infielder and trailblazing coach Ashley Stephenson (Mississauga, Ont.) and national team pitching legend Rod Heisler (Moose Jaw, Sask.). Onetime Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Godfrey, who played a significant role in bringing Major League Baseball to Toronto, and longtime Toronto Leaside baseball executive Howard Birnie will also be honoured.
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BWDIK: Atkinson, Julien, O'Neill, Paxton, Quantrill, Smith
Canadian Baseball Network editor Kevin Glew’s latest “But What Do I Know?” discusses Tyler O’Neill, Cal Quantrill, James Paxton, Cade Smith and Bill Atkinson.
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