September 2, 2023

He learned well in Delta, BC ... both how to pitch and how to respect an opponent.

Now, Jeff Francis lives in London and is coaching the North London 8U team.

Francis’ team walked off the St. Catharines Cobras in Baseball Ontario playdown action in Kitchener on Saturday.

Francis presented the “game ball” to Mace Smith, of the Cobras, who was the Player of the Game. Mace is the son of Jamie Smith, former Mississauga Southwest Twins SS, a dominant team at the Baseball Ontario junior and senior levels, with the likes of Jordan Petrusca, Billy Hurley, Kyle Porter and Michael Cardinale.

Jamie played for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks. His father Mike Smith coached the Twins and brother Jerome Smith also played. The Twins were usually in contention for a berth at the Baseball Canada nationals.

Selected ninth overall from the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the 2002 draft by the Colorado Rockies and scouting director Bill Schmidt, Francis pitched 11 seasons in the majors winning 72 games, including 17 with the 2007 Rockies, who reached the World Series, losing to the Boston Red Sox. For his efforts, he was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.

Francis, who pitched in the BC Premier League, for the North Delta Blue Jays is also a pitching instructor with the Great Lake Canadians.