Before the Blue Jays: Professional Baseball in Toronto 1885-1976

Step up to the plate and discover the fascinating history of professional baseball in Toronto.

Did you know that Babe Ruth, who hit his only minor league home run at Hanlan’s Point in 1914, homered several times in Toronto as a member of the New York Yankees? Or that in the same year, the city was home to not one but two professional baseball teams - the Maple Leafs and the Beavers? How about that Toronto hosted a regular season big-league game in 1932 or that in 1943, the city’s own All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Gladys Davis, made history as the league’s first batting champion?

In this captivating journey through Toronto’s rich baseball past, you’ll dive into these and other events, learning about the city’s professional baseball scene and trailblazers before its major league team launched in 1977.

Harvey Sahker has watched baseball in a dozen countries. He has dabbled in baseball broadcasting, coaching, and umpiring. His baseball stories have adorned the pages of publications in Canada, U.S., Australia, and South Africa. He plays in a couple of old-timers’ baseball leagues. Harvey lives in Toronto.