ST. MARYS, Ont.—Two of the greatest players this country has ever produced took their rightful places among Canada’s baseball immortals Saturday, headlining the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum induction ceremony.
Russell Martin, the best Canadian-born catcher in history, and Ashley Stephenson, the greatest Canadian ever to play women’s baseball, topped a bill that included fellow inductees Paul Godfrey, Rod Heisler and Howard Birnie, as well as Jack Graney Award winner Buck Martinez in the media wing. Former Blue Jays pitcher Jimmy Key was also inducted, but couldn’t attend.
Martin, who broke down several times while paying tribute to parents Suzanne Jeanson and Russell Martin Sr., was a four-time all-star over a 14-year big-league career. Born in East York and raised in Montreal, the Gold Glove winner tops the list of Canadian-born catchers in almost every offensive category.
The 41-year-old Martin made 10 trips to the post-season, and the closest he came to the World Series was with the Jays in 2015. Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers that year — the Bat Flip game — ranks at the top among baseball memories.
The plaque for former Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont.
Nick Iwanyshyn The Canadian Pres“I could have been remembered as the guy who messed up the season for the Blue Jays,” said Martin, who hit batter Shin-Soo Choo with a return throw to the pitcher in the seventh inning, ushering home the go-ahead run for Texas. “Luckily my junior college teammate from back in the day, José Bautista, had my back ... and the rest is history. It could have been: ‘Do you remember that play where you hit the guy in the hand and you lost the game?’ I could have been that guy.”
Martin first played for Canada with the junior team in 2000. He coached the senior team last year at the World Baseball Classic.
Stephenson, who starred for Canada from 2004-18 and now coaches in the Jays organization with the Class-A Vancouver Canadians, has worked hard to raise the profile of women’s baseball over the years. She finished her induction speech, the first ever by a female inductee, with a call to action.
“In order for our game to grow, we need real investment in women’s baseball at a grassroots level, at a provincial level, at a national level and at an international level,” said the Mississauga native, a high school teacher in Burlington in the off-season.
“We can make real change with positive people in the right spots who are looking to make that change. We need girls to have an opportunity to go to their local organizations, sign up to play baseball and play baseball. Not to be encouraged to play softball or to (be told they’re) going to have to play on a boys team.”
Heisler, a left-handed pitcher from Moose Jaw, Sask., suited up for the national team 14 times from 1978-88, more often than anyone before or since.
“Thank you for accepting an amateur ballplayer who just loved to play the game,” said Heisler, the starting pitcher in Canada’s first Olympic baseball game in 1984. “I have long wanted to win the lottery, but as I stand here ... I realize that I already have.”
We honour Tom Cheek, the forever voice of the pc28Blue Jays, on what would have been his
Godfrey, 85, told a story of going to baseball’s winter meetings as a North York alderman in 1969. He cornered then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn outside an elevator and said that if pc28was awarded a team, the city would build the stadium.
Godfrey recalled Kuhn’s reply: “Son, first you build a stadium, and then we decide if we want to give you a team.”
After a failed attempt to buy and relocate the San Francisco Giants, Godfrey was key in securing an expansion franchise in 1976. He was also one of the three people tasked with choosing a location and design for what would eventually become the SkyDome.
The original plan included a fixed roof. But when Godfrey presented a small model of the venue to Martinez while the Jays were playing a spring exhibition series at the domed B.C. Place in Vancouver, the catcher and future broadcaster had a better idea.
“Paul brought in this spectacular model of SkyDome,” recalled Martinez. “I said: ‘Paul, that’s beautiful, I really like it, but players hate playing indoors. We need it to be retractable.’ He said: ‘Retractable? I don’t even know if we can do that.’ I said: ‘Give it a try.’”
Godfrey confirmed the story.
“Buck deserves all the credit” for the idea that led to a retractable roof at what’s now the Rogers Centre.
Martinez’s wife of 49 years, Arlene, deserves all the credit for his second career. Former Jays president Paul Beeston offered Martinez a job as a television analyst after the 1986 season, but Martinez turned them down, hoping to keep playing. He went home and told Arlene. According to Buck, she said: “Call him back, you can’t play anymore.”
The rest is Hall of Fame broadcasting history.
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