You can smell spring in the air. Today, Canada takes on the USA in WBC baseball action at the ballpark formerly known as SkyDome. The Blue Jays are playing spring training games in Florida and I'm getting excited about another season of slo-pitch.
In this spirit on this fine Saturday in March, here's a great Blue Jays song featuring the voices of Blue Jays baseball, Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth. Hearing Tom on this track talking about Devo leading off and Robbie and Joe following him in the line-up makes me miss those glory days of Blue Jays baseball. Yes, I'm old enough to remember playoff baseball in this city.
When I threw my support behind the Phillies, I referred to something that happened in this city fifteen years ago. It was fifteen years ago Saturday, to be precise.
Joe Carter came to the plate in the ninth inning of game six of the World Series. My Toronto Blue Jays led the series 3 games to 2, but trailed in the game 6-5. With Mitch Williams on the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies and Ricky Henderson and Paul Molitor on base, Joe hit a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall at SkyDome to give the Blue Jays their second World Series in a row.
I can't accurately describe how my brothers and I reacted to this moment. When that ball cleared the fence, the feeling was ecstatic. The joy was overwhelming and we all shed tears. Heck, just thinking about that moment is causing my eyes to swell.
Dammit, there's some strange salty substance seeping from my eyes as I type. That moment was sort of a double-edged sword. It was a tremendous moment of collective elation, but it raised the bar to a point we may never see again. How the hell do we top that? An overtime goal by a Maple Leaf to win the Stanley Cup perhaps? Not much else comes to mind.
Listen to this call again. It was broadcast 15-years ago and few people heard it live as we were all watching the game on television. If you want more Tom Cheek Blue Jays memories, go here.
Let's try this again. This will the fourth year in a row I've encouraged you to vote for Tom Cheek as a finalist for the Ford C. Frick Award. You can vote here at the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Here are previous entries I've written about Cheek's eligibility for the Ford C. Frick Award.
In that 2nd last entry, I went off after Denny Matthews won the award.
Removing my extremely biased perspective for a moment, Tom Cheek called Blue Jays games since day one, calling 4,306 of them in a row. During that time Toronto won two World Series championships and a few additional division pennants. Tom Cheek's no longer with us.
Dave Perkins wrote about this in today's Star, but I was thinking the exact same thing, I swear. If Tom Cheek had called games in the United States of America, he'd have won the Ford C. Frick award long ago. Of this I am certain. There's a definite bias against recognizing baseball achievements in this country and Tom Cheek is a victim.
And yes, I shall use this opportunity to remind you that I've archived all of Tom Cheek's Greatest Hits. Click over and remember the glory days of Blue Jays baseball. And don't forget to vote for Tom.
Former Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster Tom Cheek is back on the ballot for the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award, given annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Cheek, who died at 66 from brain cancer in 2005, is among the 10 finalists for the honour. He called 4,306 consecutive games from 1977 to 2004.
I first lobbied for Tom to win this award in 2005 and then again in 2006. When he was beat out once more, I suggested it was an anti-Canadian bias at work. If Tom Cheek had called games in the United States of America, he'd have won the Ford C. Frick award long ago.
The winner of the Ford C. Frick award will be announced on February 19, 2008. If the weather outside has you feeling cold, warm up with Tom Cheek's greatest hits.
At this time of year I always get nostalgic for the days when Blue Jays baseball in late August actually meant something. There's an entire generation of ball fans growing up in this city who barely recall playoff baseball in Toronto. That's so sad.
When I get nostalgic about pennant races from yesteryear, I start thinking about Tom Cheek. I've written so much about Tom Cheek I've got an entire category in his honour. Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth were the voices of Blue Jays baseball when I would listen to every game possible on the radio. In honour of Tom Cheek, I'd like to share his greatest hits with you all.
The First Home Run in Blue Jays History I was two years old when Doug Ault hit the first home run in franchise history on April 7, 1977, so I don't have a memory of the moment. You can relive the Jays debut in the CBC archives and hear Tom Cheek's call of Ault's first dinger below. "A tremendous shot."
Our First AL East Pennant I've got great memories of this fantastic day and I shared those memories in this entry. You never forget your first, whether it be home run, no-hitter, cycle, World Series or pennant. Here's Tom Cheek's call of that final out on October 5, 1985. "Bell is there... he's got it!"
Dave Stieb's No-Hitter I was working at the CNE on this day, but that didn't stop me from sharing my memories of Sir David's no-hitter. You don't want to miss Tom Cheek's call of the first no-hitter in Blue Jays history from September 3, 1990. "He's done it! He's done it!"
The First World Series Championship I don't believe I've ever written about that fantastic night the Blue Jays clinched their first World Series title. It was quite the surreal night that was capped by Dave Winfield's clutch RBI and the sudden disappearance of my Canadian flag. Listen to Tom Cheek's historic call of Otis Nixon's bunt to Mike Timlin. "The Blue Jays win it!"
Joe Carter's 1993 World Series Ending Blast I've saved the best for last. This is, without a doubt, the best call of Tom Cheek's career. Here's an extensive write up about Joe's three run homer off Mitch Williams. You'll want to play this one over and over and over again. "Touch 'em all, Joe!"
If you want more Blue Jays memories, thoughts, observations and rants, check out my Toronto Blue Jays category page. Enjoy these audio gems I consider to be Tom Cheek's greatest hits.
Denny Matthews is the Ford C. Frick Award winner. Matthews is probably a fine broadcaster, covering the Kansas City Royals, but he's no Tom Cheek.
Removing my extremely biased perspective for a moment, Tom Cheek called Blue Jays games since day one, calling 4,306 of them in a row. During that time Toronto won two World Series championships and a few additional division pennants. Tom Cheek's no longer with us.
Dave Perkins wrote about this in today's Star, but I was thinking the exact same thing, I swear. If Tom Cheek had called games in the United States of America, he'd have won the Ford C. Frick award long ago. Of this I am certain. There's a definite bias against recognizing baseball achievements in this country and Tom Cheek is a victim.
Next fall I'll urge you all to vote for Tom once more, but I'm losing hope that he'll ever make it to Cooperstown. It's a Frick'n shame.
In my lifetime I've probably received hundreds of Christmas gifts, but there are a few I remember best. I never lobbied for an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle so what I got on Christmas morning was always a surprise. On one particular Christmas in the early to mid-eighties I received a little blue transistor radio.
It was freedom. The radio would go everywhere I went. I used to sleep with it. In the summers, I listened to 1430 CJCL which was carrying Blue Jays games called by Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth. Other nights I would crawl the dial just to see what I would pick up. I'd start at one end and slowly make my way to the other side, stopping for a bit whenever I pulled in a station. I guess it was sort of a low tech scan. I'd do this for FM and then switch to AM. I loved that damn radio.
It's a love affair that has continued to this day. The primary reason I have an iRiver instead of an iPod is because the iRiver has a radio built in. I want my MP3, but I'm not ready to give up my radio entirely. In this day of MP3 players and satellite radio there's little room in a kid's life for a transistor radio. I'm just glad there was room in my life for one that Christmas morning.
In his column today, Toronto Star journalist Dave Perkins reminds us that voting is open for the Ford Frick Award at http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/. Despite the fact I stuffed the ballot box last year, Tom Cheek didn't make the Hall in 2005. I think this year will be different.
If you're a Tom Cheek fan as I am, get over there once a day and cast your vote for him. He was something special.
I've been sharing my memories of the Toronto Blue Jays, absorbed during the fanatical years of 1983-1993. I started by writing about the ten home run attack in September of 1987 and this time I'm tackling the clinching win in 1985.
I thought we were going to clinch on October 4th. With our magic number at 1 for the first time ever, we were tied with the Yankees and the Terminator Tom Henke was on the mound in the ninth. I was listening to the radio in my bedroom, clinging to every pitch called by Tom and Jerry. Butch Wynegar burned Henke for a home run with two out and our celebration was postponed a day.
October 5th was a Saturday and we were off to my Grandmother's house, just outside of Midland, Ontario. We listened to the first half of the game in the car and then watched the rest on television. By the end of the third inning we were up 4-0 and Doyle Alexander was on cruise control. Ernie Whitt, Lloyd Moseby and Willie Upshaw went deep, Alexander pitched a complete game 5-hitter and with two outs in the ninth at Exhibition Stadium, Ron Hassey was at the plate. In only my third year of die-hard devotion, we were about to enjoy our first taste of celebration. Hassey hit a fly ball that George Bell easily caught for the final out. I remember him down on his knees rejoicing, receiving a high five from Tony Fernandez. We had clinched the AL Eastern division pennant.
I carved up the next day's Star to add to my scrap book. Here's the Exhibition scoreboard following the 5-1 win, George Bell's celebration after the catch and the cover of the sports section declaring us "The Champs". I was elated. Kansas City was up next, but we had the big bats and starting pitching behind Alexander, Dave Stieb, Jim Clancy and young Jimmy Key. Up three to one in the ALCS, I was dreaming of a World Series championship. Here's "The Drive of '85" section reminding us there's "only 1 to go". What happened next is another story for another time.
Although I didn't hear it live, here's Tom Cheek's call of that Hassey fly out to Bell on October 5, 1985. For this eleven year old, it was a defining moment, and assurance that my commitment to these birds of summer would be rewarded.
So far, so good for our Blue Jays. The newbies came through and Roy Halladay pitched another gem as we beat the Twinkies 6-3 in front of 50,449 at the ballpark fomerly known as SkyDome.
All was perfect, but something was missing. For the first time in the history of the franchise, Tom Cheek was not in the booth to call a Jays opener. I tuned into the radio broadcast prior to the game to hear Jerry Howarth talk about his former partner and when I heard about Tom's wife Shirley making it to the booth but not being able to step inside, I almost lost it. Cheek called 4,306 consecutive regular-season games, plus 41 more in the postseason, and passed away last season. Here he is calling Joe Carter's World Series winning homer. Here are some other entries I've written about the man over the years.
You can smell spring in the air. Today, Canada takes on the USA in WBC baseball action at the ballpark formerly known as SkyDome. The Blue Jays are playing spring training games in Florida and I'm getting excited about another season of slo-pitch.
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When I threw my support 
Let's try this again. This will the fourth year in a row I've encouraged you to vote for Tom Cheek as a finalist for the Ford C. Frick Award. You can 
Former Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster Tom Cheek is back on the ballot for the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award, given annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Cheek, who died at 66 from brain cancer in 2005, is among the 10 finalists for the honour. He called 4,306 consecutive games from 1977 to 2004.
In my lifetime I've probably received hundreds of Christmas gifts, but there are a few I remember best. I never lobbied for an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle so what I got on Christmas morning was always a surprise. On one particular Christmas in the early to mid-eighties I received a little blue transistor radio.
I've been sharing my memories of the Toronto Blue Jays, absorbed during the fanatical years of 1983-1993. I started by writing about 
So far, so good for our Blue Jays. The newbies came through and Roy Halladay pitched another gem as we beat the Twinkies 6-3 in front of 50,449 at the ballpark fomerly known as SkyDome.