Fernandomania North

There were few things left for Fernando Valenzuela to achieve in baseball by the time the 1990s rolled around.

His resumé included a Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year honours, a pair of Silver Slugger nods, a Gold Glove, a couple of World Series rings, and six National League (NL) All-Star selections.

Not bad for the man from little-known Etchohuaquila, Mexico.

In The Cards: 1988 Calgary Cannons

Expectations were high for the Calgary Cannons heading into the 1988 season.

After making it to the Pacific Coast League final the previous summer, the Cannons seemed primed for a repeat performance.

We continue our look back at some of the baseball cards of the past with our new In The Cards, focusing in on the 1988 Calgary Cannons.

In The Cards: 1990 Edmonton Trappers

Off the field, the 1990 Edmonton Trappers were caught in a rundown as efforts were underway to buy and relocate the team.

On the field, they almost won a Pacific Coast League championship.

Find out more about the team and its players in this edition of In The Cards …

Dante’s Peek

The unlikely return of the Toronto Blue Jays to the postseason in 2020 put the spotlight on several of the club’s rising stars.

Shortstop Bo Bichette is one of them. But there is another Bichette with the organization who may prove just as valuable to the team – Bo’s father Dante, who serves as an assistant hitting coach on the Blue Jays.

Many of the most valuable lessons that life and baseball had to offer, were learned by Dante Bichette as a member of the Edmonton Trappers.

In The Cards: 1986 Calgary Cannons

The second season of Calgary Cannons baseball at Foothills Stadium featured some good talent.

But the team couldn’t replicate the success they had their first year.

The baseball cards created for them, however, allow fans to reminisce about some of the future MLB players who donned the red, yellow and white.

In The Cards: 1991 Calgary Cannons

Heartbreak is one of the many emotions that are conjured up when Calgary Cannons fans think back to 1991.

Many will wax nostalgic about the talent and promise on the team, that was the gateway to pro baseball for many.

But heartbreak also comes to mind as they think about how close the team was to winning it all.

We take a trip down that memory lane in the new In The Cards.

Between Innings

Love can take a toll on you.

Whether it’s a family bond, the intimacy of marriage, or even the fondness of sport, love can be exhausting.

It can leave you at a crossroads wondering whether or not the passion that was such a part of you exists at all anymore.

Blue Jays Central host Jamie Campbell was at such an intersection when he came to Alberta in the 1990s to work as a sports anchor for CBC Edmonton.

In The Cards: 1986 Edmonton Trappers

As a team, the Edmonton Trappers didn’t accomplish a great deal in 1986.

The Triple-A Pacific Coast League (PCL) squad went 68-73 in front of 229,682 fans at John Ducey Park that season, falling short of a postseason berth.

That said, the primary purpose of minor-league baseball teams has never been about winning championships. Player development and converting young athletes into Major League Baseball (MLB) talent has always been the underlying goal of these feeder squads. In that regard, this Trappers team had plenty of success stories.

In The Cards: 1985 Calgary Cannons

There was a lot of hope in 1985 surrounding the newly-created Calgary Cannons.

The Pacific Coast League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners had just moved in from Salt Lake City and were hoping to improve on their semi-final appearance with much of the roster still in tact.

We take a look at some of those players on that roster with the baseball card set featuring 25 members of that inaugural version of the Cannons.

In The Cards: 2001 Calgary Cannons

It was the 100th anniversary of minor-league baseball and the Cannons were close to the end of their run in Calgary.

The Triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins was competitive enough to win a few games in front of the 246,991 fans who went to Burns Stadium that season, but their 72-71 record was nowhere close to good enough for a postseason appearance.

Regardless, there were plenty of MLB-calibre players on the field that year, including Jason Grilli, who holds the distinction of being the last Calgary Cannon to pitch in the majors.