Among those tuning in on Friday for Game 1 of the World Series will be the next generation of Canadian baseball talent that could one day make it to the Major Leagues.
Scott Crawford, Director of Operations for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, said some of Canada’s most talented Major Leaguers were just kids and enthralled to watch the Toronto Blue Jays win back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.
Crawford said big leaguers such as Justin Morneau, Jeff Francis, Ryan Dempster, Eric Bedard and Russel Martin were young, talented baseball players when they watched the Blue Jays bring World Series crowns to Canada.
“All kids who were 10, 12, 13-years-old who were watching the Jays in the early ’90’s and then boom, they are in the Big Leagues ten years after that.”
The Jays are back in the World Series for the first time in 32 years, taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-seven series, and a new generation of young fans now have a chance to cheer on Canada’s team.
“When the Jays win kids fall in the love with the game more, they want to play more.”
Although there could be some bandwagon jumpers now that times are good in Toronto, Crawford said that is simply good for the game and Canadian baseball.
“You want the kids saying, ‘oh my gosh the Blue Jays are on tonight’. Or, ‘mom and dad, bring me to a Blue Jays game’.”
Crawford said about 70 per cent of inductees into Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, located in St. Marys, are born in Canada, while others distinguished themselves playing or contributing to the Blue Jays and the former Montreal Expos, or baseball in Canada.
There could be more future inductees from the current Blue Jays squad.
As for the series itself, Crawford said the Dodgers have terrific pitching, the Jays have great hitting and defence and he predicts a Blue Jays win, in seven games.
The ball hall will host a watch party for Friday night’s opener.
You can check out some vintage Blue Jays memorabilia, including the home plate used in Game 6 when Joe Carter hit the ’93 series-winning homerun, as well as the helmet Carter wore during that game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $5 in advance with a maximum crowd of 45 people. First pitch is at 8 p.m.
