R. I. P. John Malloy

John Malloy, father of Blue Jays visiting clubhouse manager and grandsons to Cody and Brendan Malloy.

On Dec 4, 2018 we ran a story “Malloy the Man in Blue Jays Land” on this web site. Kevin Malloy never won 20 games or hit .300. The visiting clubhouse manager was hit with tongue cancer in 2018.

Former Cy Young award winner Pat Hentgen called Malloy the most “courageous guy to walk through the door to the visiting clubhouse.”

Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox, who guided the Blue Jays from 1982-85, described Malloy as: an intellectual, a real smart kid.”

Now, despite the fact the story appeared with only 27 days remaining in the year, Malloy was so popular with players the story among the top five among hits in 2018.

Now, Kevin has lost his father, John Malloy, at age 94. John Malloy was involved in baseball. One of his responsibilities at the CBC was negotiating TV rights for years with the Montreal Expos (starting in early 70s) dealing directly with Expos president John McHale.

Deepest sympathies to the family. Kevin’s sons Brendan and Cody each wrote tremendous tributes to their grandfather.

By Brendan Malloy

Grandson

With a very heavy heart, I share the news that my grandfather, John Malloy, has passed away. No words can do justice to describe how much he impacted me, and how close we were.

My grandfather blessed this world with his presence for 94 years. He played in integral role my upbringing, as him and my grandmother were watching my bother and I multiple times a week, due to my parents work schedules. The fact I was able to spend more than 24 years with my grandfather was an extremely gratifying experience for me.

My grandfather was my biggest cheerleader, regularly attending my baseball and hockey games over the course of the years. I hit a home run once with him in attendance, and I remember pointing to him after I crossed home plate. I gave him the ball after the game, and he’s had it on display in his living room ever since. Easily one of the best moments I ever had on the diamond.

Etobicoke Rangers; Brendan Malloy with his grandfather John Malloy and a home run ball.

He was the ultimate people person, and could talk to anybody about anything. One of the most well-rounded and smartest men I have ever met in my life, easily. He could talk about politics, film, television, history, sports ... you name it. He was also an incredible storyteller.

The stories this man had, especially his interactions with celebrities, like the time he sat with Frank Sinatra at a Broadway show in New York.

Here’s another good one: He was once at a dinner at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, and he was making his way back to his seat and the lights went out as this presentation was about to begin. He wasn’t that close to his seat, and didn’t want to interrupt anything, so he went off to the side out of the way. Low and behold, a few moments later this man taps him on the shoulder from behind and says:

“Excuse me sir, I need to get by”.

Then the MC announces: “Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy!”.

Then JFK proceeded to walk past him from behind!

If you ever had the pleasure of meeting him, then you’d know exactly what I’m talking about.

He did so well for so long, and was incredibly independent for a man of his age. Those close to me know that these past couple of months were hard for him, as his body began to shut down on him and the ailments of old age began to settle in at a rapid rate. It truly was his time to pass on.

I will miss him terribly, but he had an incredible run. Big John will live forever in our hearts.

R.I.P. John Malloy (June 9, 1926-June 13, 2020)

By Cody Malloy

Grand son

John R. Malloy

(June 9, 1926-June 13, 2020)

My grandpa (“Big John”) peacefully passed away in his sleep at home in Don Mills at 94 years of age on June 13. It brought a smile to my face yesterday as to how beautiful and clear the sky was on such a sad day. Not many folks get to live until 94, let alone under their own power to drive and walk to just about the very end. You don’t luck into that, and perhaps I can explain why.

My grandpa was an incredibly proud man. Not only did he take the utmost pride in himself (he always wanted his hair and clothes looking sharp, kept the house and yard neat and tidy), but he took pride in the accomplishments of everyone in the Malloy family. I still remember when he helped me study for my first Grade 7 science test (cc: Ralston Green). No one was happier about me getting more than 100% than he was.

My grandpa was proud to have served in the Canadian military during World War II, of course after fudging his age on his application. Although he did not serve overseas, he served in various capacities within Canada, including at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa as a weapons specialist where he eventually helped train soldiers who would be later sent overseas in pursuit of a free world.

My brother and I were fortunate to have him and my gran as babysitters growing up. He drove us to countless hockey and ball games, plus practices, and on many day trips to various places across southern Ontario to educate ourselves at a variety of historical sites. When we were very young, he would always have a list of activities lined up for us to do (pick up sticks, snakes and ladders, go fish, checkers). And while we got him into shows like Scooby Doo and Johnny Bravo, he got us into the Three Stooges and James Bond.

There was never a shortage of stories with him. As a former CBC executive who travelled frequently for business, I heard stories about a ferocious boxing match he attended in Mexico, sitting next to Frank Sinatra during a Broadway show to later chat with him in the alley during an intermission smoke break, turning down a dinner with Clint Eastwood and a colleague because he thought the colleague was a “jerk”, sharing washroom conversation with Vincent Price, and John F. Kennedy tapping him on the shoulder so he could make his entrance at an event in Chicago as president.

If you think favorably of me as a person in the slightest, much of that is thanks to my grandfather. He is the one who shared endless wisdom and helped mould me into the person that I am today. From the time I was a mere infant, my grandpa embedded the sense of intellectual curiosity that I still have, perhaps to an annoying extent, as he carried me around his house before I could even speak telling me what objects were and how they worked. The “why” factor was always the crucial question with him. When we stop asking why, we do a disservice to our intellectual minds.

My grandpa stimulated my intellectual side to bring me to new heights. We talked frequently and attempted to solve the world’s problems through various viewpoints. Despite that he won’t get to see me walk across the stage in two years when I complete my law degrees, I know he was more proud of me being accepted into the program than I was of myself.

Although voices and opinions change across generations, there are some human values that are inherent. Values such as: integrity, purpose, spirit, and generosity. My grandfather instilled these core values in my brother and I and left us with an idea:

The idea that these core values not only make us better people, but those we meet and form relationships with as well as we carry on the tradition of making the world a better place.

“A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.” - John F. Kennedy