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1983 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Inductions - Autographed by - Phil Marchildon / George Selkirk by Treasures from the Past

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The museum was founded in October 1983 in Toronto at Exhibition Place and later moved to Ontario Place theme park. In 1994, it moved to St. Marys, Ontario. The Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to preserving Canada's baseball heritage which dates back to June 4, 1838, when a game which very closely resembled today's game of baseball was played in Beachville, Ontario.

This includes professional ballplayers, amateurs, builders, teams, and honorary members who have helped popularize the sport in Canada.

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Autographed on front by:

Name: Phil Joseph Marchildon

Nickname: Fidgety Phil, Babe

Induction: August 3, 1983

Born: October 25, 1913 in Penetanguishene, Ontario

Died: January 10, 1997 in Toronto, Ontario

Primary Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Years Played: 1940 to 1942, 19445 to 1950

Teams Played: Philadelphia A’s, Boston Red Sox

While working in the Creighton Mine in Sudbury and starring for the company ball team, Phil Marchildon was convinced to try out with the International League’s Toronto Maple Leafs in 1938. The hard-throwing hurler would strike out seven of the nine batters he faced at the tryout and would report to the Leafs training camp the following spring.

After two seasons with the Leafs, Marchildon’s contract was purchased by the Philadelphia A’s. In his first big league season, he recorded 10 wins for the lowly A’s, managed by Connie Mack. For an encore, he would record 17 wins and establish himself as the team’s ace in 1942.

Poised to join the pitching elite, Marchildon was called for military duty and would serve in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1943 to 1945. In August 1944, his plane was shot down and he was taken as a prisoner of war. He would spend nine months in a German prison camp.

Upon his release and return to North America, Marchildon was almost immediately penciled into the A’s rotation. Though still traumatized by the war, Marchildon would register 19 wins for the A’s in 1947 – a season many consider to be one of the best ever by a Canadian pitcher. In all, Marchildon won 68 big league games and completed 82 of his 162 major league starts.

Link to article - Phil Marchildon – The Best Canadian Pitcher You’ve Never Heard Of - baseballhotcorner.com/phil-marchildon-the-best-canadian-p...

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Name: George Alexander Selkirk

Nickname: Twinkletoes

Induction: August 3, 1983

Born: January 4, 1908 in Huntsville, Ontario

Died: January 19, 1987 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Primary Position: Outfielder

Bats: Left

Throws: Right

Years Played: 1934 to 1942

Teams Played: New York Yankees

Dubbed “Twinkletoes” for his distinct running style, George Selkirk was arguably the greatest Canadian baseball player of the first half of the 20th century. Suiting up alongside baseball immortals like Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Bill Dickey, the Hunstville native is best known as the man that replaced Babe Ruth in right field for the Bronx Bombers.

Wearing the Bambino’s famous No. 3, Selkirk excelled during his nine-year big league career with the Yankees. His major league resume boasts two all-star selections, five .300+ seasons and two 100-RBI campaigns. Selkirk was equally impressive in the postseason, belting a home run in his first World Series at bat in 1936. In all, the talented outfielder was part of five World Series-winning teams, the most of any Canadian.

From 1943 to 1945, Selkirk served in the U.S. Navy. When he returned, he was employed as a player/manager with the Yankees top farm team in Newark. After his playing days were over, Selkirk served as supervisor of player personnel with the Kansas City Athletics in 1957 and as the general manager of the Washington Senators from 1964 to 1969.

1983 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Inductions - Phil Marchildon / James "Tip" O'Neill / George Selkirk / John Ducey / Frank Shaughnessy / Rt. Honourable Lester B. Pearson by Treasures from the Past

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INAUGURAL INDUCTEES - 1983

PLAYER CATEGORY

• PHIL MARCHILDON

• JAMES 'TIP' O'NEILL

• GEORGE SELKIRK

BUILDER CATEGORY

• JOHN DUCEY

• FRANK "SHAG" SHAUGHNESSY - link to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame article on Shag - baseballhalloffame.ca/inductees/frank-shaughnessy

Link to SABR article - Frank "Shag" Shaughnessy - written by Charlie Bevis - sabr.org/bioproj/person/022eb7f7

HONORARY CATEGORY