Former Blue Jays Coach Honoured By Baseball Canada
When it comes to Canadian baseball players, there are a few names that stick out: Larry Walker, Ferguson Jenkins, Joey Votto.
Then there is Stubby Clapp.
While Clapp only appeared in 23 major league games, all with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001, he is best remembered for his performance as a member of the Canadian National Team.
During the 1999 Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, Clapp hit an extra-innings bases loaded single to lift Team Canada over the favourited USA and advance to the semi-finals. Canada would eventually take home a bronze medal.
Clapp has been a folk hero ever since.
While his career was largely spent in the Cardinals system, he also played in the minors for both Atlanta and Toronto and had a two year stint with the Edmonton Cracker-Cats of the Northern League.
A coaching career began shortly after his retirement as a player. Although he is now the first base coach for the Cardinals, his time as a mentor began in the Houston Astros system.
Clapp does have another connection to the Blue Jays as well. 2013 saw him hired as the hitting coach for the Dunedin Blue Jays and in 2015 was moved up the ranks to Double-A New Hampshire.
He also returned to Pan Am Games that same year, back with Team Canada as their third base coach.
Clapp is about to be honoured by Baseball Canada, who announced earlier today that Stubby is set to become the 13th member on their Wall of Excellence.
Other, recent, inductees onto the wall of the excellence include fellow former Blue Jays Paul Quantrill, Michael Saunders, and Adam Loewen.
During his time in the Cardinals system, Clapp became a beloved figure while playing for the Memphis Redbirds, so much so that he was dubbed «Mayor of Memphis».
The Awards Gala and banquet will take place in January.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 6 | 132 ANSWERS Former Blue Jays Coach Honoured By Baseball Canada Would Stubby Clapp make a good manager? | ||
| Yes | 83 | 62.9 % |
| No | 49 | 37.1 % |
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