Mare au Mare
Mare au Mare
Here is a response to Tight PP’s question. I was preparing it anyways.
There have been 212 Major Leaguers from Canada. That is just between Iowa 211, and Louisiana 220. Canada has had the fifth most big leaugers after USA, Dominican Republic and just behnd Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Many Canadians played their entire career before WW1. There are 46 players who were born into pre-Confederation Canada. For that consideration, Ontario includes those from Canada West and Quebec include those from Canada East. Again best hitter and pitcher.
Ontario – 119
Tip O’Neil – His averages are better than Walkers. He was a superstar in his day. Has a career line of .326/.392/.458.
Ferguson Jenkins – ’91 HOFer. ’71 CYA. Master of control, only pitcher with 3000 K’s and less than 1000 BB’s.
British Columbia 25
Larry Walker – ’97 MVP, 5 time AS. All time leader in most offensive categories for a Canadian. Career .313/.400/.565 line.
Rich Harden – A close one here. He has better numbers in his short career. Francis and him will challenge each other.
Quebec – 23
Tim Harkness – Marginal. Most proficent hitter from Quebec.
Eric Gagne – ’03 CYA. 3 Time AS. Probably the best three consecutive seasons ever by a releiver.
New Bruswick – 14
Matt Stairs – Second to Walker in most hitting categories.
Rheal Cormier – A very stedy reliever through his 16 years. 71-64 record and a 4.03 career ERA.
Nova Scotia – 9
Pop Smith – 19th C journeyman. Hit .222/.287/.313 mostly for Pittsburgh.
Vince Horsman – 141 games in the early 1990s. Struck out first batter he faced, Albert Belle, then known as Joey.
Alberta 8
Vince Barton – Hit 13 homers in only 66 games as a rookie with the Cubs in 1931. Was out of baseball the next year.
Mike Johnson – played 81 games in the late 90s. Accounts for 90% of IP by Albertans.
Saskatchewan 7
Terry Puhl – ’78 AS. Perhaps the greatest fielding outfielder of all time. Hit .280/.349/.388 to prove he was more than glove.
Reggie Cleveland -Probably the second best starter to come out of Canada to date. Had good years in the 70s with StL and Bos.
Manitoba 4
Corey Koskie – A decent but injury shortened career. Played solid 3B and hit .275/.367/.458.
Russ Ford – The only pitcher from Manitoba. Went 26-6 in 1910 for the Highlanders. Went 21-6 with Buffalo(FL) in 1914.
Prince Edward Island 2
Vern Handrahan -marginal
Vern Handrahan – 34 Games, gave up 19 HR in only 61 IP for the KC A’s. He got Mickey Mantle out once.
*There has been one Newfoundlander to play ML ball. Jim McKeever got into 16 games with the Boston Reds of the Union Association in 1884. McKeever was born almost 80 years before Newfoundland ws part of Canada.
**There were also two British North Americans to play who’s place of birth is unknown, other than to be in what is now Canada.
June 5, 2008
Is any province on the rise? I’m surprised that Alberta hasn’t produced more.
Are kids with any shot moving out to BC for their competitive league or into Ontario for the MLB scouted high school ball?
June 5, 2008
I think the lowball one is Quebec. They had the baseball academy there for a long time, big population base, and Quebeckers play baseball.
BC and Ontario are the only ones on the rise. Of current players all are from BC or Ont except for Gagne. Those from BC and Ont are split 50/50. I think many BC players play in the strong junior league around Van. If you look most are from lower mainland BC.
June 5, 2008
“Of current players all are from BC or Ont except for Gagne.”
Matt Stairs NB
June 5, 2008
I thought about that as soon as I posted it. I didn’t go back to 1992 when sorting by debut.
My bad.
June 5, 2008
Tip O’Niell has been has been honoured…and is an honour, since the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame give the Tip O’Niell Award:
Presented annually to the Canadian player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball’s highest ideals.