Why is Jackie Robinson in the Canadian Baseball HOF?

Question

During a trip to Canada (not my choice) I was extremely bored and went to the Canadian Baseball HOF. Not only is Jackie Robinson in there, but so is Sparky Anderson, and Tommy Lasorda. 99 percent of the guys in the Canadian Baseball HOF I've never heard of in my life and I have no idea why they were there, but there were a few Americans in there that really confused me. What's the deal? Perhaps next year I'll go to the Mexican Baseball HOF and see Honus Wagner in there.

Answer 1

As others have said, Montreal was a Dodger farm club for many years. In those years, the Dodgers has three triple A teams, but the highest rated was the Montreal Royales. Yes, Jackie Robinson played there one season, as did George "Sparky" Anderson, but Tommy Lasorda was one of the International League's top pitchers, playing for Montreal for 5 or 6 seasons in the 1950s. All three are in the Canadian HOF for their on-field success while playing with Montreal.

Answer 2

In 1946, Robinson was cutting his teeth on his way to the majors with the Montreal Royals of the International League, which was the Dodgers Triple-A farm team.  Lasorda also played for the Montreal Royals when he was in the Dodgers farm system as a player.  Sparky Anderson played in and later managed the Toronto Maple Leafs, the IL's Triple-A affiliate for the Boston Red Sox.

Answer 3

WOW.  I guess Jackie Robinson breaking the colour barrier of pro sports isn't significant around the world.  That event is recognized around the world (I guess Canada isn't good enough for that.)  As for Tommy Lasorda (played for the Expos/farm club in his early playing days) as did Sparky (played minor league ball in Toronto).  PS before you start beefing Canada have your facts straight first and you might enjoy our country a little bit more.

Plus Robinson played his minor league ball in Canada, also.

Answer 4

i think they may have originally played there before they were allowed to play in the mlb due to color barriers

Answer 5

haha i read his biography he was born in montreal, canada

jackie is a canadian

Answer 6

The previous respondents have said it pretty well.

These people are in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame for their contributions to Canadian baseball. despite the opinions of most of my fellow American fans, baseball actually DID exist in Canada before the Expos came into being in 1969.

And while you won't find Honus Wagner in the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame, you will find Roy Campanella. And famous American players Ted Lyons and Nolan Ryan are in the Caribbean Hall of Fame.

Note also that in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, there are players who are not American - just a few are Fergie Jenkins(Canada), Luis Aparicio (Venezuela), Rod Carew (Panama), and Juan Marichal (Dominican Republic)

Guess you didn't take too close a look - hard to believe that the Canadian Hall did not have some biographical info as to why they were there. or maybe it's more likely that it was there, but you had already decided that Canada was too boring for you to even attempt to learn something.

Edit - Congratulations, Dave. That may be a record for most misinformatiopn in a single answer.Alexander Cartwright set the first rules for baseball in 1845. Not in 1863. And certainly not at the turn of the century. And he had absolutely nothing to do with the formation of the National League. Neither one of those leagues was formed in 1898 - the NL started play in 1876, the AL in 1901.

Joe Jackson never played ball in Canada. He played professionally for a couple of minor league teams in North carolina, then went to the majors.

Either an incredibly good attempt at humor, or just plain wrong.

Answer 7

Robinson played for the Montreal Royals, a Dodger minor league affiliate.

You need to learn more about baseball, son. Instead of asking dumb questions on Y/A, start researching baseball on this vast source of knowledge known as the internet.

Answer 8

This will come as a shock to many citizens living south of the border, but baseball was invented in Canada, Not the United States back in 1863. Many of the original players formed teams that competed in Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Peterboro, Ottawa and Kitchener. Jackie Robinson, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Tommy Lasorda, etc all broke into organized ball in Canada.  That is why they are listed in the Canadian Hall of Fame.  If you talk to someone south of the border, they will tell you Abner Doubleday invented baseball at the turn of the century, but that is false.  He did form major league baseball as it is known today, but Canada had no discrimination or racial laws in effect.  Many players participating arrived via the underground railroad during the U.S civil war that ended in 1865.  That is why many names won't be recognized, but it doesn't exclude their talent and the excellence of their skills.   Everyone enjoyed the game for what it was.  A game to be played by anyone talented enough to compete. When the National and American leagues formed back in 1898, baseball in Canada disappeared and everyone wanted to be a part of the leagues in the U.S.  Canada got farm teams until the Expos and Blue Jays joined the leagues.