Russell Martin noticed something very unusual in Montreal during the off-season, and it was then he realized how much of an impact the Toronto Blue Jays’ run to the American League Championship Series had made.
“There were people wearing Blue Jays hats and you don’t see people cheering for Toronto teams in Montreal – ever,” says the all-star catcher. “And now it’s cool. That’s why I feel like it was felt coast to coast. All the people waiting for a team to win got their wish. Back in ‘92 and ‘93, people were excited for baseball. It’s nice to have that same excitement and buzz around baseball.”
The goal now for the country’s baseball officials is to build on that momentum at the grassroots level, much in the way they did during the Blue Jays’ World Series years, when registration increased nationally.
To that end, Baseball Canada launched a new website Friday, summersperfectgame.ca, with the aim of making it easier to connect kids and their parents with local associations.
With information on everything from registration to coaching for boys, girls and challenger baseball, along with videos about Canadians in the sport and the national team programs, the site is an important resource for both families new to the game, and those already involved.
“We’re trying to help more and more kids play this sport,” says Jim Baba, Baseball Canada’s executive director.
In a statement, Ray Carter, Baseball Canada’s president Ray Carter, adds: “Our goal, through Summer’s Perfect Game, is to promote our sport so that thousands more can enjoy the benefits that our game offers.”
Last year, registration from coast-to-coast increased about eight per cent, and the expectation is that more kids will want to play this summer after the Blue Jays’ success.
Michael Saunders, the Blue Jays left-fielder from Victoria, remembers how the World Series teams turned so many people onto the sport back then, including him.
“That’s when they became my favourite team and my favourite player was John Olerud, when I played I tried to hit like him,” says Saunders. “You’ve got some role models on this team now, not only for what they do off the field, but what they do on the field, and that makes kids excited.”
Martin agrees, and imagines kids in parks across the country imitating Jose Bautista’s bat flip.
“That’s what I’d be doing if I was a kid now,” says Martin, who hopes a new generation of players at all levels is inspired by last year’s success. “I was definitely inspired by the players I used to watch on TV when I was a kid. Roberto Alomar was one. I used to like watching John Olerud’s swing, super smooth. Devon White in the outfield running down everything. Larry Walker, Tim Raines, Pedro Martinez, Vlady Guerrero when I was a little bit older – those were all guys that were inspiring. They all did things differently, but they all did certain things right, and those were things I tried to look at when I was a kid.
“If it wasn’t for those teams, I might not be playing baseball. If I’m the same for a couple of kids, awesome.”
