Buck Martinez to Take His Place Among Blue Jays Legends

· Yahoo Sports

Buck Martinez has plenty to smile about as August nears its close.

A few days ago, he told Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun that he is cancer-free after a lung cancer diagnosis in 2025.

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And this weekend, Martinez will take center stage at Rogers Centre, where his legendary status as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays will be cemented in what is expected to be an emotional ceremony.

On Saturday, Martinez will receive the highest honor the franchise hands out – enshrinement in the team’s Hall of Excellence before the Blue Jays meet the Seattle Mariners. Blue Jays Roundtable will be at the stadium to provide full coverage of the events.

Former Blue Jays Dave Stieb and George Bell, with whom Martinez shares a deep history, are scheduled to join the festivities. Other ex-Jays, undoubtedly, will show up, and a contingent of family and friends, including his wife, Arlene, will celebrate at Rogers Centre.

A sellout is expected, as are plenty of tear-filled eyes.

“The people were a big part of (the love) Arlene and I felt for Toronto,” Martinez told the newspaper. “It will be great to share this with them.”

Buck Martinez and the Blue Jays

It’s appropriate that the ceremony takes place against the Mariners. The Seattle and Toronto franchises entered the American League together as expansion teams in 1977, forever linked in history.

And Martinez has been there for most of the time.

Martinez, now 77, has spent a lifetime in baseball, much of it with the Blue Jays organization.

He grew up in Northern California, played college baseball in Sacramento, and the Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in 1967. A trade sent Martinez to the Kansas City Royals in late 1968, and he debuted in the majors the following summer.

A subsequent trade dealt him to the Milwaukee Brewers, who later traded him to the Blue Jays in 1981. He signed a free agent contract after the season and remained as a player in Toronto through 1986.

In all, John Albert “Buck” Martinez appeared in 1,049 games and hit .225. He was best known for his defensive ability and his rapport with the pitching staff.

Final destination: Toronto

Martinez has said in the past that he didn’t anticipate Toronto being the last stop in his career. But he never left.

In 1987, Martinez went to work for Canada’s TSN, providing analysis on about a quarter of the games. His role eventually grew and he took his seat in the broadcast booth until 2000 before managing the team (2001-02). He returned to his broadcasting role in Toronto in 2010 and announced his retirement in February . His work in the 2025 season partially was interrupted for his cancer treatment.

The team announced in March that Martinez would be the first member of the new Hall of Excellence.

“The Hall of Excellence is a meaningful way for fans to connect with the individuals who have achieved organizational greatness and whose contributions have created lifelong memories and shaped Blue Jays baseball for generations,” said Mark Shapiro, president and CEO of the Blue Jays. “Buck has been one of the defining voices of the Blue Jays, and his passion, integrity, and unwavering commitment to this organization embody everything the Hall of Excellence represents.”

More on the Hall of Excellence

The new Hall will replace the existing Level of Excellence, where the names of the 11 honored members of the organization are emblazoned. Their names – and memories and memorabilia – will be installed at the Hall of Excellence, which will be located on the 100 level right field concourse at Rogers Centre.

Dave Stieb and George Bell were the first members of the Level of Excellence when it was started in 1996 to mark the team’s 20th anniversary season. Other members, listed alphabetically: Jose Bautista (2023), Paul Beeston (2008), Joe Carter (1999), Tom Cheek (2004), Carlos Delgado (2013), Tony Fernandez (2001), Cito Gaston (1999), Pat Gillick (2002) and Roy Halladay (2018).

 

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