SCHEDULED GUESTS AT THE ANNUAL DINNER AND SYMPOSIUM TO KICKOFF THE MAPLE LEAFS 2016 IBL SEASON INCLUDE BILL BUCKNER; FERGUSON JENKINS; JUAN MARICHAL; DENNY McLAIN and MAURY WILLS
BASEBALL GREATS > Clockwise from top left: Maury Wills; Juan Marichal; Bill Buckner; Ferguson Jenkins and Denny McLain.
It goes without saying that Jack Dominico, the owner of the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) 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 House League Baseball Committee would like to announce to all the players and parents involved in our program that Jack Dominico will be holding the 29th edition of the Toronto Maple Leafs Forum and Reception on Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. at the Westin Bristol Place Hotel (950 Dixon Road). The forum is held the night before the Leafs play their 48th Season Opener against the Guelph Royals at Dominico Field Christie Pits on Sunday, May 8 at 2 p.m.
In addition, some of these baseball greats will also be in attendance 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:
- Bill Buckner: Playing mainly as a first baseman for five teams over the course of lengthy twenty-two year MLB career, this one time NL batting champion (1980) and one time All Star (1981) garnered a lifetime .289 batting average along with 2,715 hits, 174 home runs and 1,208 RBI’s. However, despite his successes on the diamond, Buckner is best remembered for a fielding error he committed as a player with the Boston Red Sox during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets, a play that has since become prominently entrenched in American baseball lore.
- 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.
- Juan Marichal: Over the course of a superb sixteen season Hall of Fame career, this ten time All Star pitcher (most notably for the San Francisco Giants) was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters’ helmets. Marichal won more games during the 1960’s than any other MLB pitcher and had a lifetime 243-142 win-loss record, 2.89 ERA, along with 2,303 strikeouts with only 709 walks. This gifted pitcher also tossed a no hitter on June 15, 1963 against the Houston Colt 45’s. In addition, Marichal’s name will be forever linked to ‘The Greatest Game Ever Pitched’ and the infamous ‘Roseboro Incident’.
- Denny McLain: This two time American League Cy Young Award winner and three time All Star pitched for four teams during a memorable ten year MLB career. McLain is best remembered for his seven seasons with the Detroit Tigers, where he led the team to a World Series Championship in 1968 with a 31-6 win-loss record and 1.96 ERA. No other pitcher since McLain has surpassed thirty victories in a MLB regular season. In addition, this talented and controversial player was a non conformist both on and off the field who played by his own rules. McLain had a MLB career 131-91 win-loss record, 3.39 ERA and 1,282 strikeouts.
- Maury Wills: In a highly productive fourteen year MLB career, this seven time All Star shortstop revived the art of the stolen base in the 1960’s and was a key component of three World Series championships with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Along with two Gold Gloves and NL MVP honours in 1962, the switch-hitting Wills was also the NL Stolen Base leader for six consecutive seasons (1960-1965). Wills had a lifetime .281 batting average along with 2,134 hits, 458 RBI’s and 586 stolen bases.
Tickets are $85.00 (plus G.S.T.) per person. For tickets or more information to this event, please call (416) 631-2600.