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.

In The Cards: 1981 Edmonton Trappers

The 1981 Edmonton Trappers had plenty of Major League Baseball (MLB) talent on its roster, but the team lacked true star power in its introductory campaign.

Who cares when you look this good though, right? Sporting lids that look like they could melt in the acid rain (it was a thing in the 1980s, you can look it up) and pin-striped uniforms that might just be the sharpest looking pyjamas you’ve ever seen, the Trappers had that Leo Chavalier look of a winner.

Learn more in our latest installment of In The Cards …

Q&A with Harold Reynolds

He’s now a familiar voice on baseball broadcasts and a frequently seen face on MLB Network programming, but long before Harold Reynolds made a name for himself on TV he was another ball player trying to crack a major-league roster.

A second overall selection of the Seattle Mariners on June 3rd of the 1980 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, Reynolds made his big-league debut in 1983. The second baseman bounced between the Triple-A and MLB levels for the next four seasons before becoming a fixture in Seattle.

One of his big stops along the way was with the Calgary Cannons of the Pacific Coast League, where he played 52 games in their inaugural 1985 season and another 29 games in 1986. The two-time American League (AL) All Star and three-time Gold Glove award winner made time for us to chat about his time in Cowtown, how he ended up in the broadcast booth and the time he was almost traded to the San Francisco Giants …

In The Cards: 1990 Calgary Cannons

When you think about the Calgary Cannons, images of red and white uniforms often come to mind, but these blue jerseys and caps look outstanding.

For your viewing pleasure, this edition of In The Cards focuses on the 1990 Cannons, who were led by Pacific Coast League (PCL) All Star first baseman Tino Martinez.

Coles Notes

It was a long and winding road for utility player Darnell Coles, who played 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons for eight different teams.

The Californian quickly climbed the ranks of Seattle’s minor-league system after the Mariners made him the sixth overall pick in the 1980 amateur entry draft. Coles had already played in Bellingham, Wausau, Bakersfield, Chattanooga, Salt Lake City and Seattle by the time he was sent to Calgary to play for the city’s new Triple-A franchise in the Pacific Coast League.

That 1985 Cannons team, Coles recalled, was loaded with talent.

Dutch Treat

He wasn’t here for a long time, but Bert Blyleven did appear to have a good time during his brief stay in Alberta.

It was an unlikely pit stop for the Hall of Fame pitcher, who made two starts for the Edmonton Trappers in May of 1992.

The third-round pick of the Minnesota Twins in 1969 was playing his final pro season when he arrived in the provincial capital.

In The Cards: 1997 Calgary Cannons

It seems like all minor league teams – if they stick around long enough – go through a pinstripes phase with their uniforms, and the Calgary Cannons were no exception.

The players and coaches do look sharp in these white uniforms, which take centre stage in this 30-card set from Best Cards, Inc.