Erindale slugging legend Geoff Cullen retires with 197 homers
Erindale Slugger Geoff Cullen Calls It a Career After 19 Seasons
By Dan Estey
Canadian Baseball Network
Things will be a little different around Greg Cranker Field in Mississauga next season. Geoff Cullen, long a staple in the Erindale organization, has decided to hang up his cleats and first base glove after a long and decorated COBA Major League Senior career. The 43 year old, had an amazing season in 2016 finishing with a .394 batting average with two home runs and 27 RBIs. He was named to the Ontario Senior Blog 1st All Star Team and captured the 2016 COBA playoff title.
More than that, Cullen was a team leader always offering advice to guys and helping the team while still using his style of comedy to get the team loose before big games.
Cullen got his start in baseball at the age of four in Mississauga when he played T-Ball in the Applewood Baseball Association. Throughout the next few years he played on several teams including Cawthra, Clarkson and Etobicoke Junior Indians. Cullen’s first exposure to major league scouts came during the 1992 high school season while playing for the Cawthra Park Panthers. The left handed power hitting catcher gained quite the following of scouts.
Cullen, 18, after signing with the Angels ...
Following a series of invitational workouts with the California Angels in North York, Cullen was offered an opportunity to play pro ball and in the spring of 1993 the he reported to the Angels Arizona League rookie league Angels affiliate in Mesa Az. After one season in Mesa, and suffering a variety of injuries, Cullen returned home where he signed on with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League. He played two season with the Leafs winning an IBL championship in 1995.
Following that season, Cullen gave it another go with pro ball as he signed with the Madison Black Wolf of the independent Northern League. He split time between Madison and the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League before returning home in 1997 to play one more season of IBL with the Brantford Red Sox. The following year, in 1998, he was introduced to the COBA Major League and the rest as they say (or as you are about to find out) is history.
To say that Cullen had a great career in COBA Major League play would be a huge understatement. When he started in the league, right away you could tell his pedigree around the diamond. His career statistics in the loop are staggering to say the least. In 586 career games, Cullen hit .401 (898 for 2,422) with 202 doubles, 16 triples, and a whopping 197 home runs. He scored 632 runs while knocking in 771 and also stole 88 bases. Some legendary numbers for the smooth swinging 1B/DH. He also wasn’t bad on the mound either, compiling a career 16-4 record.
Besides his numbers, he also collected a lot of COBA Major Awards during his tenure in Erindale. A league record six League MVP Awards, nine League Home Run championships, two league batting titles, six league playoff championships as well as being named the playoff MVP in 1999. The only title to elude Cullen during his stellar career was the Ontario Senior Eliminations. They got to the final in 2005 losing a heartbreaker in the final.
Being around senior baseball for 19 years, Cullen had a plethora of stories, memories and great moments. All these stories included great friends and teammates of Cullen’s throughout his career; people he said helped to shape his love and dedication for the game of baseball throughout the years. One story he mentioned was winning the IBL Championship in 1995 against a very tough Stratford Hillers team in a very long and entertaining seven-game series where they overcame a 3-1 games deficit and Cullen was named playoff top hitter.
The 1999 season, Cullen’s second season with the Cardinals, was a very special one for him and the club managed by grand poobah Cranker. The team set, and still holds, the COBA Major League record for regular season play finishing with an astounding 28-3 record. They also went on to win the COBA Major playoff title that season with Cullen picking up MVP honors in the playoffs. In 2000, Cullen along with Etobicoke Ranger great and former Detroit Tiger and Toronto Blue Jays minor leaguer Warren Sawkiw were both selected to represent Team Canada at the World Baseball Challenge in Grand Forks, BC.
In 2004, Cullen was picked up by Steve Breitner and the Etobicoke Rangers to take part in the Canadian Senior Men’s Baseball Tournament in Moncton, NB. When asked about the experience Cullen said “This was by far one of my fondest baseball memories. It was an amazing experience with a great group of players and coaches.” Cullen ended up belting a walk off two-run home run against Team Newfoundland in the round robin as well as being named the top hitter in the tournament hitting a staggering .616. He also defeated legendary Dartmouth Dry slugger Darren Doucette in the final of the pre-tournament home run derby. This was, by far, one of the best hitting displays I have ever witnessed at the senior level EVER!! Watching Doucette and Cullen (who had his secret weapon Cranker throwing cutters into the wind at Kiwanis Park) belting tape measure shots was a sight to see.
At the completion of the derby, both guys gave each other a high five and were greeted with a huge standing ovation from the Moncton crowd. In 2005, the aforementioned run at the Elims coming up one win short of the title. Throughout the tournament, Cullen grabbed two complete game wins on the mound and belted four home runs while collecting 12 RBIs. Last but not least was this year in the COBA Major League playoffs playing against an extremely tough and talented Niagara Metros team in the finale. After being down 2-0 the whole game, Erindale managed to push two runs across in the seventh inning to tie the game 2-2. It stayed that way till the bottom of the ninth when the Cardinals loaded the bases with one out setting the stage for a story book ending for Cullen. He ripped a 1-0 fastball past the first baseman and into right field for the game winning walk off hit. In asking Cullen about this moment he said “one of the most special moments in all of my career ... to celebrate a playoff title in my last year with some of my closest friends and teammates was so incredible and the perfect way to say goodbye and thank you.”
At the professional level, Cullen also had some great memories and stories as well. While playing with the Mesa Angels, he had the opportunity to be taught baseball from some of the games greats including manager Bill Lachman, Tom Lawless and Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven. His hitting coach, who taught him a lot of the techniques he uses today, was the brother of legendary New York Yankees player Roger Maris. Cullen also had the fortunes to play with former Blue Jay catcher Bengie Molina and against MLB stars such as Darryl Strawberry and Cubs All-Star first basemen Derek Lee. Later that season when playing for the Evansville Otters, he played at Bossy Field where the film “A League of Their Own” was filmed.
When returning to play for the Cardinals in 1997, he met his manager Greg Cranker. When first arriving to the team it took a bit for Cullen to see how things were going to operate but once getting the hang of it there was a relationship there that still lasts today.
“You will never meet another person like Greg Cranker in your lifetime,” Cullen said. “His knowledge of the game and his passion for both Erindale Cardinals and for senior baseball in Ontario is beyond remarkable. Cranks has dedicated the last 35 years of his life to making Erindale one of the best places to play senior ball but he is also works hard to make the COBA Major League the best senior baseball league in Canada. Cranks is very clear about what he wants for his players and his team.
“He is a man of very few words but when he talks it is always very meaningful and ends with everyone smiling and laughing. Cranks allows you to be the player you want to be. All that he asks is that you show up on time, play hard all the time, respect the game, and pay for your beers after the game. I am very fortunate to have crossed paths with Cranks and will always be appreciative for his humour, insight and friendship over the past years and I am still waiting for my hug.”
With great coaching from the likes of Cranks, Tim Gasparotto and Rob Scicluna, there are also great teammates. Over the course of 19 years you get to play with a lot of different players and personalities. Who is his “favorite?” Cullen answered: “That is a very tough question. So many different names come up from the years. Guys like Chris “Will” Dubnyk, Rob “Zo” Scicluna, Chris Currie, Ian “Flip” Bala, Steve “Bully” Gallant, and John “Mac” McEwan were some of the key players that I played with during the time when the Cards were one of the top teams in all of Ontario. In the last few years, I have really enjoyed watching guys like Frank Coccia, Jay Woodford, Chris Novia, and John DeWolfe become staples in senior baseball.”
Cullen went on to add “As good as these players were or are now, many have become my friends away from the field. Our families are friends, our kids play together, when get together during the holidays, or get together on a week night to have a drink and catch a game on TV. That is what sports in general are meant to do and that is what I am most thankful to Cranks, Timmy Gasparotto and Erindale for giving me over all of these years.”
Getting a start at a young age like anyone your biggest fans are always your parents. Cullen noted that was no different for him saying “they have been a part of my baseball career ever since I picked up a glove at the age of four.”
“One of the things I am going to miss is seeing them down the right field line on Monday nights at Greg Cranker Field braving the chilly nights in May and the pesky mosquitoes in the hot July days.” Cullen said. “I am forever grateful to them for all of their love and support they have given me over the years and continue to give to me today.”
Speaking on a more recent note Cullen talked about his own family saying: “It has been very special for me to have the opportunity to play baseball in front of my two kids. Before home games, they would always come out and play catch with me and then right to the clubhouse at the field to grab a Mr. Freeze out of the fridge.”
It has been a great ride for Cullen who when asked about his career and maybe coming back for a 20th season for #20 in 2017 said “I wouldn’t want to go out any other way: winning a COBA Major League playoff championship with a group of great guys and getting the game winning hit is the perfect way to call it a career.
“I am thankful that I was able to play and enjoy the game I love for almost 40 years and now its time to give back to the game through coaching.”
Cullen is looking forward to continuing to coach is son next summer with Erindale Little League.
Walking off the field after driving in the winning run at the COBA playoffs with his son Evan, seven.
For me personally, being a teammate of Cullen’s for the past six years, I have appreciated the humor and friendship that he has offered me. The talks during games, things to work on, talking about life in general every bit of it has been appreciated by me.
There is certainly going to be a big hole to fill in the middle of the order with the Erindale Cardinals without Geoff Cullen there.
Best wishes in the future my friend and all the best with your future plans. All your former and current teammates than you for all you have given to the Erindale Senior program!!