Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Cooperstown 2019
One weekend
a year, in the middle of the summer, the baseball world heads to
Cooperstown to celebrate the greatest players ever to pull on a
uniform. It is a time to celebrate the induction of the latest class
to enter the Hall of Fame. But it is also a time to pay homage to the
game.
This year's
inductees: Mariano Rivera, Lee Smith, Harold Baines, Edgar Martinez,
Mike Mussina, and Roy Halladay. All inductees are elected, and must
attain a certain percentage before they are announced to the public.
Understandably, as a Canadian living near Toronto, I was pleased to
see that “Doc” Halladay was to be inducted.
For those of
us who followed his career when he played for the Blue Jays, it was
always a thrill to get settled into a chair at the Rogers Centre, and
watch him go to work. On most occasions, he was successful. There was
no nonsense about his approach. All business. Walk out to the mound,
look in for the sign, and deliver the ball to home plate expecting
good results.
Without
belabouring the point, good results came often to the big guy (Six
feet, six inches) in the 12 seasons that he spent with the Jays. He
won the Cy Young Award as the League's most outstanding pitcher in
2003. He also won the same award as a National League pitcher in
2010, after being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. That same year
he threw a perfect game, the 20th in major league history.
He also tossed a no-hitter in the playoffs against the Cincinnatti
Reds.
We
discovered that many of Halladay's fans from Philly are just as
faithful as are his Blue Jay supporters. He was a workhorse in both
cities, and he led the American League in complete games five times.
He won 148 games for the Jays, and lost 76. His .661 winning
percentage is still the best in the team's history.
It is
against the rules for media types to ask for autographs. I have
always respected that rule, but, on one occasion, I asked for an
exception. It was granted by the head of the Jays' media staff, Jay
Stenhouse.
My son Arty
attended several Blue Jays games one particular season. He took the
opportunity to get a baseball signed by the players. On the last day
of the season, he lacked two signatures, naturally the most difficult
to obtain: Roy Halladay, and Carlos Delgado.
With
permission, I obtained Delgado's autograph. I then approached
Halladay at his locker in the Blue Jays' dressing room after the
final game, with some trepidation. He invited me to sit beside him.
He was such a gentleman, taking the time to chat about my home town,
my love of the game, and the baseball. He rolled it in his fingers,
marveled at the time that it must have taken to get it signed by his
teammates!
I was
stunned when I read about his plane accident. I know that he would
have contributed so much to his family, to his community, and to the
game, had he not been killed, just over a year ago.
His plaque
was installed on the wall in the Hall of Fame following the ceremony.
“Doc” Hallady had entered his rightful place as one of the greats
of the game.
James Hurst
July 29,
2019.
# posted by James Hurst @ 9:09 AM 
