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Some of the best quotes and anecdotes from the fifth annual Baseball Canada fund raiser and banquet, attended by the largest crowd ever Saturday at the Renaissance Toronto Hotel at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Blue Jays announcer Jerry Howarth hosted the event as usual and interviewed the guests in a relaxed manner as always before more than 200 fans.
Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC), winner of the National junior team award: "Steve Nash lived down the street from us when we were younger. My friends and I had the basket lowered so we could dunk. One day Steve drove by with Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk dunked and broke our backboard."
Al Schlazer, head of Disney's Wide World of Sports, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary: "We're fortunate to have the Team Canada national junior team come to our facility twice a year. Greg Hamilton always teaches his players the ABCs of sport: Always Believe you Can. He instills a great confidence in his team."
RHP Jason Dickson (Chatham, N.B.), member of the World Junior champion 1991 team, runner-up to AL Rookie of the Year in 1996, a four-year veteran in the majors, 2004 Team Canada Olympian and now coach of the New Brunswick Selects, who received an alumni award: "As a player I never realized how difficult coaching was."
LHP Paul Spoljaric (Toronto, Ont.), former major leaguer who pitched six years with the Blue Jays, Mariners, Phillies and Royals: "Who would have ever thought that three years ago Justin Morneau would be a Most Valuable Player award winner."
Russell Martin (Chelsea, Que.) Los Angeles Dodgers catcher, who received an alumni award: "A lot of people were involved like my father, all of my coaches, especially Greg Hamilton and Eric Gagne helped me a lot. A year ago he worked with me on my preparations. He let me use his personal trainer Scott Klassen, Eric is like my brother."
Martin on the Dodgers historic four-consecutive homer inning against San Diego in September: 'We were down four runs in the bottom of the ninth. Jeff Kent led off with a home run. We were pretty excited in the dugout. Then, J.D. Drew homered and we're thinking can we finally beat San Diego, they'd been tough on us all year. Then, they brought in Trevor Hoffman. I'm thinking if we can get one more we're in business. I hit a first-pitch fastball -- a fastball is not his best pitch. And then Marlon Anderson homered to tie it. Four in a row. Nomar Garciaparra stuck a dagger in their hearts with a homer in the 10th."
Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.), who played 15 years in the majors with the Astros and Royals, Team Canada senior national team manager, who received a special recognition award: "I had no idea how good Canadian baseball had become until we got to Cuba. I stood beside a guy in the dugout who is a major reason for Canada's success in baseball -- Greg Hamilton."
Jim Fanning (Dorchester, Ont.), of the Jays, who presented a $20,000 cheque to Baseball Canada: "I don't remember the year but John McHale (the Expos GM) called me in and said he wanted to see our cards on Terry Puhl. Terry had established himself. So, we went and got them and he'd been to our camp sure enough. But it was as a right-handed pitcher."
Doug Meilvin (Chatham, Ont.), Milwaukee Brewers general manager: "On the day of the Team Canada-Team USA game I told my wife Ellen I was going to the game and then later to our training camp. My wife, who is American, said I won't be there long. She phoned in the third inning and asked what the score was. I said 6-0 and Ellen said 'see, I told you ... and only after three innings for Team USA.' I said no it's 6-0 Canada. Canada won 8-6 and I had bragging rights and the rule of the house for a week or so, but don't worry, Ellen is back in charge now."
OF Rob Ducey (Cambridge, Ont.), a 14-big-league veteran, who played for the Jays, Angels, Rangers, Mariners and Phillies, a former Olympian and now a scout for the Jays: "The greatest experience of my career was playing for Team Canada."
OF Adam Stern (Port Stanley, Ont.), of the Baltimore Orioles and the winner of the first Stubby Clapp award, who stands 5-foot-11. "Growing up I idolized Devon White. You know, we're both the same ... 6-foot-3 ... long lean. With Stubby and now me, I hope this award is not for circus midgets only."
INF Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.), former big-leaguer with the St. Louis Cardinals, Olympian and Mr. Baseball in Canada: "I enjoyed my time in the big leagues, but playing for Team Canada was better and that goes back to 1991 ... well except for 1993 when Jim Baba cut me."
Peter Orr (Newmarket, Ont.) in his second season as an infielder with the Atlanta Braves : "Bobby Cox is the greatest man I've ever met. You can have that 'I suck" feeling and you're going 1-for-10 and Bobby will say 'you're going great' and you say "YEAH, I am.'"
Jamie Romack (London, Ont.), Atlanta Braves minor leaguer: "Growing up I was always compared to Scott Thorman, even though I'm a right-handed hitter and he's a left-handed hitter."
RP Eric Gagne (Mascouche, Que.), former Cy Young award winner, now of the Texas Rangers, who received a special achievement award: "After two frustrating years my back and my arm are back where I want them to be. I'm hoping PaulQuantrill will get back in uniform. I'd watch him when he was with us with the Dodgers and I had no idea how guys can't hit him, I mean I know I can hit him, but when we were in L.A. had had a heck of a year."
RP Paul Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), former major leaguer with the Red Sox, the Phillies, the Jays, the Dodgers, the Yankees, the Padres and the Marlins and a WBC member: "What am I doing now? I'm driving my son to hockey practice. Will I coach with the national team? Well I taught Gagne to pitch and drink, maybe I could help out."
RHP Steve Rogers (Tulsa, Oak.), former Montreal Expo ace and now with the Player's Association: "I am impressed by the talent in this room ... and I take full credit for it."
Mike Port, former Angels GM, now with Major League Baseball, who presented a cheque for $50,000: "Not to slight any other country, but I can't think of any other country that plays the game with the dignity and class that Canada does."
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