Newest hall of famer has fond memories of Jays

Morris won two World Series with Toronto, briefly covered team on radio

Jack Morris continually broke up during a press conference at the MLB Winter Meetings when talking about his entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Quite a difference from the emotions he used to display on the mound. Morris was all business, a man possessed, taking no prisoners when facing opposition hitters.

But when asked on Monday about his short time pitching for the Blue Jays, the St. Paul, Minn., native was all smiles, insisting that though his time in Toronto was brief and his performance somewhat inconsistent (at least in the second year of his tenure), he has nothing but fond memories playing north of the border and added that playing on those two World Series teams in Toronto inevitably helped propel him into the Hall.

“Toronto was big in my heart,” said Morris.

“I loved playing against the Blue Jays in my early years with Detroit and Minnesota. And Canada was a big part (of my life). I’m an avid fisherman and northwest Ontario was my favourite place on the planet. So going to Canada was a no-brainer for me. I’m a northern kid. I enjoy the cold, crisp air. It invigorates me. I never liked hot, humid days.”

Morris, who was elected into the Hall by the modern era committee along with his former Tigers teammate Alan Trammell, played for the Jays during their World Series years, 1992 and 1993, and while his first year in Toronto was stellar (winning 21 games), he struggled in his second year and was unable to pitch in the playoffs that year because of a season-ending injury. Despite that, Morris said he wouldn’t have changed his two years in Toronto for anything.

“I can’t say enough about how much I was appreciated in Toronto. I worked for the Jays on the radio. It was a wonderful experience,” he said. “I wish I could have convinced my wife to stay and move up there, because I’d still be there. I loved it.”

Morris’ radio partner on the Sportsnet radio broadcasts was Jerry Howarth, who said Morris left the Jays’ broadcasts to be closer to his second wife Jennifer and their eight-year-old son Miles.

“At the end of the season I said to Jack, who had become such a close friend, ‘Jack, as your friend let me suggest you do one of two things now. One, join me here on the radio for the next 10 years as my partner but you and Jennifer and Miles move here to Toronto. You know what the weather is like here and St. Paul has a very similar winter climate. Or, second, go back to St. Paul and find some part-time work with the Minnesota Twins to stay in baseball. I want you to do this for Miles. You don’t want him to go from eight to 18 without his dad for all those months when you are away broadcasting baseball games. Do this for Jennifer and your son.’

“He called me that off-season from St. Paul and said, ‘Jerry, thank you very much for what you suggested. Jennifer and I talked it over and we are going to stay here in St. Paul so I can be with Miles. I asked Sportsnet if I could get out of my contract and commitment to the broadcasts and they said yes. I appreciate what you did for me.’”

Morris said some of his best friends in baseball were guys he played with in Toronto, including Tom Henke. Duane Ward Jimmy Key. Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter.

“Even Pat Borders, who I called ‘Buffy’ because he was always flexing in front of the mirror,” said Morris, with a laugh.