Ageless Wonder

Happy birthday Junior Felix!

Err … happy belated birthday?! Or is it tomorrow?

As elusive as he was on the base paths at times during his playing career, the actual date of birth of Junior Francisco Felix Sanchez also proved hard to run down.

His official birthday is listed as October 3rd, 1967, but it was long suspected that the outfielder from Laguna Salada in the Dominican Republic was much older than that date would suggest.

Here Comes The Boom

David Wells could barely navigate connecting flights, let alone figure out where Medicine Hat was when he made his way outside of the United States for the first time.

The trip north in 1982, his introduction to professional baseball, offered the left-handed pitcher an education in sports and life. Wells was forthcoming about both aspects of his journey in his 2003 autobiography, Perfect I’m Not. One chapter of the book provides a compelling look at the minor-league experience at the lowest level.

In The Cards: 1992 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

It’s difficult to measure where exactly the 1992 Medicine Hat Blue Jays rank on the lollygagger scale of professional baseball teams.

They weren’t quite as abysmal as the1988 edition of the ball club, but these Baby Jays were seemingly immune to winning.

Learn more in our latest edition of In The Cards …

In The Cards: 1996 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

They were a head-scratching bunch, the 1996 Medicine Hat Blue Jays.

Their play left much to be desired, as was made evident by a dismal 22-50 record. Yet despite what unfolded on the diamond, the rookie-level squad saw their attendance double from the previous season as they welcomed 41,942 fans to Athletic Park for an up-close view of how not to play baseball.

Learn more about the team in our latest edition of In The Cards …

The Best of Times on the Worst of Teams

They were bad.

No, like really terrible.

They were, in fact, dreadful.

Place the word “historically” in front of those adjectives and you still don’t come close to capturing the futility of the 1988 Medicine Hat Blue Jays.

In The Cards: 1993 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

With so much excitement surrounding the Toronto Blue Jays after their first World Series victory in 1992, you would think their affiliates would enjoy similar attention.

Unfortunately, the Medicine Hat Blue Jays still struggled at the turnstiles, despite a massive improvement in the standings compared to their cellar-dwelling 1992 campaign.

We take a look at some of the players who suited up for the 1993 edition of the Baby Jays in our latest In The Cards feature.

In The Cards: 1991 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

We’re not sure why, but banana yellow seemed to be a go-to colour for baseball cards in 1991.

Not only was it the hue for the MLB Fleer set, but it was also featured in the ProCards minor league set.

We sort through the Medicine Hat Blue Jays set and some of the stories of the players from that squad.

In the Cards: 1994 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

When you leaf through old minor-league baseball cards, it’s common to wonder, “Who are these guys?”

If you’re looking through rookie-level sets, that feeling is often even more pronounced. “No really, who ARE these guys!?”

That’s what makes this 1994 In The Cards edition of the Medicine Hat Blue Jays special – it’s got true star power.

In The Cards: 1990 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

The Gas City plays host for this edition of In The Cards. The 1990 Medicine Hat Blue Jays are in the spotlight for this one.

Unfortunately, the rookie-level affiliate had a rough go of it that season, finishing a dismal 20-47 in the Pioneer League under manager Garth Iorg, who was a long-time utility infielder with the Toronto Blue Jays during his playing days. The Baby Jays had some talent in the lineup though, and a number of players on the roster ended up playing Major League Baseball (MLB).

In The Cards: 2002 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

Welcome to a new archival series we’re introducing called In The Cards. The idea is simple: while images of most baseball cards can be found online, there are some gaps, especially when it comes to the minor-league cardboard cutouts.

To assist in this matter, and with an eye on Alberta-based teams and players, we will periodically be adding galleries of baseball cards to our website. We hope you enjoy!

First up to the plate, the 2002 Medicine Hat Blue Jays.