Rubbing Elbows with Brooks Robinson

In the prime of his Hall-of-Fame career and fresh off a World Series championship, Brooks Robinson was serving up baseball stories in southern Alberta.

The mainstay of the Baltimore Orioles was a guest speaker in Lethbridge at a Kinsmen dinner banquet on Feb. 4th, 1967, along with teammate Dave McNally.

The third baseman was a few years removed from his American League (AL) Most Valuable Player campaign and in a few more seasons he would claim World Series MVP honours.

Mound Surgeon

He’s a man known much more for the surgery that’s named after him than his stellar pitching career.

But Edmonton baseball fans got to know Tommy John – the person – a bit during his time with the Triple-A team in Alberta’s capital city.

Barnstorming Black Sox

They were dubbed an “extraordinary attraction” featuring players who “would be in the big leagues but for the fact that their race bars them.”

In the summer of 1921, the Calgary Black Sox challenged teams and entertained fans with a unique brand of baseball and comedy as they traveled from Chicago to Alberta and back again.

As their history has little documentation, we decided to dive into the history books and newspapers of yesteryear to learn more about the barnstorming squad.

Cannon Fodder

Wait and see.

That will be the most likely outcome for a pair of former Calgary Cannons who are hoping to gain acceptance into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York …

Tilleman’s All-Alberta Team

Dale Tilleman’s first year scouting sandlots looking for diamonds in the rough was in 1993.

He was a part-time scout, working for New York Yankees scout Dick Groch, who signed Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

Canadian Baseball Network’s Bob Elliott tapped in Tilleman to come up with his all-time Alberta squad.

Bluebirds of a Feather

Duane Larson wanted to play an aggressive style of baseball.

Heading into the 1982 Pioneer League season, the Medicine Hat Blue Jays coach had high expectations.

His team, featuring a trio of future Toronto stars, delivered in a big way, winning the team’s only championship title.

Key to the Game

Jimmy Key put up some fantastic numbers in his short visit with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in 1982.

A 2-1 record with a 2.30 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 31+ innings of work earned the young lefthander a promotion.

However, the move didn’t sit well with everyone, even if the team went on to win the Pioneer League championship.

EDITORIAL: Five Years Later

It all started at the tables of Calgary pubs as conversations about baseball’s days of yore in Alberta.

The Expos, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Trappers and Cannons featuring names like Dawson, Sax, Moseby, Valenzuela and Edgar.

Here we are, five years later since the start of Alberta Dugout Stories. We’re here to say thank YOU for your tremendous support.

Racialized

All Dick Brookins wanted to do was play baseball.

Yet, at nearly every turn, he found controversy because of the colour of his skin.

His final professional baseball stop came in Regina with the Western Canada League in 1910, a shortened season thanks to the actions of two Alberta teams.

The Battered Bouton of Baseball

More than a few baseball players can say they were the author of their own demise.

But in Jim Bouton’s case, it was literally true.

Fortunately, the knuckleball pitcher was also capable of penning a great redemption story … and Calgary played a big role in that comeback.