St. Marys Hall will preserve memory of Bautista bat flip

Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame conducting fund-raising drive

By Danny Gallagher
Canadian Baseball Network
It’s that time of year again: the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont. is conducting its annual year-end campaign drive to raise money.

At the museum, hall officials want to remember such events as Joe Carter’s famous walk-off homer to end the 1993 World Series and Jose Bautista’s flipping of his bat in epic fashion after he hit a home run in Game 5 of the ALDS this year against the Texas Rangers.

“We strive to preserve memories such as Bautista’s home run not merely because it was one of the most important home runs in Blue Jays’ history but also because of the special moments that fans experienced across Canada,’’ said the hall’s director of operations Scott Crawford.

“It is our hope that when people visit the museum, walk among our four ball fields and attend our annual induction ceremonies, it will incite all attendees to reflect on their special memories of the game and to relive the pride, joy and sense of community we experienced in 1993 and again this past October.

“If you are over a Blue Jays’ fan over 30 years old, you have fond memories of the celebration that erupted after that (Carter) swing of the bat. I was 14-years-old and remember jumping up and down in the family room of  my childhood home, screaming as loud as I could and giving high fives to my parents and siblings.’’

And of course, there is the Bautista bat flip to remember for ages.

As Crawford points out that in order to preserve memories at the hall, officials require continued support from its loyal members and partners. So you can help by making a donation.

A donation of $35 provides an hour of time to research, document and preserve key Canadian baseball moments. $75 contributes to an n acquisition fund enabling the hall to collect unique artifacts.  $125 buys protective packaging for precious baseball artifacts. Furthermore, $200 supports a school visit to the museum for kids unable to afford admission fees. And $500 helps fuel our outreach program so that the hall can share Canadian baseball experiences with people across Canada. 

“With your support, we will continue to preserve and share memories that will inspire Canadians for generations to come,’’ Crawford said.

Sign up as a new hall member and receive a Christmas card autographed by 2015 inductee Matt Stairs.

For more information on donations, call the hall at 519-284-1838 or visit the baseballhalloffame.ca web site.