SCHEDULED GUESTS AT THE ANNUAL DINNER AND SYMPOSIUM TO KICKOFF THE MAPLE LEAFS 2014 IBL SEASON INCLUDE FERGUSON JENKINS; JIM BUNNING; TONY OLIVA AND LUIS TIANT
BASEBALL GREATS > Clockwise from top left: Luis Tiant, Tony Oliva, Ferguson Jenkins and Jim Bunning.
It goes without saying that Jack Dominico, the owner of the Intercounty Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club, has been one of the most avid supporters of the Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball program through the years.
Jack Dominico
Dominico is passionate in his support of youth baseball and the community surrounding Christie Pits and Bickford Park. He has held numerous weekend baseball clinics for those involved in our TP Baseball program where young players can learn skills from players on his Toronto Maple Leafs team.
His love of the game and the neighbourhood that encompasses it have been one of the facets that have made TP Baseball the jewel that it is.
The TP Baseball Committee would like to announce to all the players and parents involved in our program that Jack Dominico will be holding the 27th edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs Forum and Reception on Saturday, May 3 at 6 p.m. at the Westin Bristol Place Hotel (950 Dixon Road). The forum is held the night before the Leafs play their 46th Season Opener at Dominico Field Christie Pits on Sunday, May 4.
In addition, some of these baseball greats will also be in attendance the following day at the Maple Leafs Season Opener beginning at 12 noon.
The Forum is a great opportunity for attendees who are young and old to ask questions to a wide array of former all-star players and hear about their unique experiences in the major leagues. Afterwards, attendees can also obtain autographs from the all stars in attendance.
This year’s baseball greats in attendance at the Toronto Maple Leafs Forum and Reception include:
- Ferguson Jenkins: During a stellar 19-year major league career, this 1971 Cy Young Award winner and three time all-star pitcher remains the only Canadian to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jenkins won 284 games in the majors while recording 3,192 strikeouts and a career 3.34 ERA. Jenkins is one of only four major league pitchers to ever record more than 3,000 strikeouts with fewer than 1,000 walks.
- Jim Bunning: During a superb 17-year career in the majors, this Hall of Famer pitched for five different MLB teams; most notably with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. Bunning is a nine time All Star who finished with a career 224-184 won-loss record, 3.27 lifetime ERA, and threw 2,855 strikeouts (currently 17th on the all time MLB strikeout leader list). Bunning also pitched his first no-hitter in 1958 for the Tigers. His second, for the Phillies, was a perfect game (the seventh in MLB history) in 1964 against the New York Mets.
- Tony Oliva: This talented right fielder played his entire MLB career for the Minnesota Twins from 1964 to 1976. In his first full season in ’64, “Tony-O” won the American League (AL) Batting Title with a sizzling .323 batting average and was also named AL Rookie of the Year. During a stellar 14 year MLB career, Oliva won three AL Batting Titles (1964, 1965 and 1971), was honoured with eight All Star Team selections, and was a Gold Glove winner in 1966 for his defensive prowess.
- Luis Tiant: One of baseball’s most colourful personalities over the course of sixteen major league seasons, this right handed pitcher (nicknamed El Tiante) is one of five pitchers to have pitched four or more consecutive shutouts in the 50-year expansion era. Tiant is a three time all-star and is most fondly remembered for his pitching heroics for the Boston Red Sox from 1971 to 1978.
For tickets or more information to this event, please call (416) 631-2600.