Blue Jays add former player, manager and broadcaster Buck Martinez to new Hall of Excellence

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays added former player, manager and broadcaster Buck Martinez to their new Hall of Excellence before Saturday’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

Martinez, 77, announced in February that he was retiring as a Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster after calling more than 4,000 games dating to 1987.

Martinez was a catcher for the Blue Jays from 1981 to 1986, the final seasons of a 17-year big league career that began with Kansas City in 1969 and included parts of three seasons with Milwaukee.

He covered the All-Star Game and the postseason in 1982 for the Telemedia Radio Network and started as a Blue Jays analyst with TSN in 1987. He also worked for ESPN, XM Radio, TBS, and MLB International before joining Sportsnet in 2010.

Before throwing the ceremonial first pitch to current Blue Jays manager John Schneider, Martinez ended his remarks with a riff on his signature home run call.

“Swing and a drive!” he said. “Get up ball, get outta here. I’m gone!”

Martinez managed the Blue Jays in 2001 and part of the 2002 season, leading the team to a 100-115 record. He also managed the United States at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.

Martinez was diagnosed with cancer in 2022 and took a leave of absence from broadcasting between April to July that year while undergoing treatment.

He took leave for treatment again in May 2025, returning in August and calling games all the way through Toronto’s run to Game 7 of the World Series.

Martinez is the 12th inductee of the Blue Jays Hall of Excellence, previously the Level of Excellence, a group that includes former players, executives and one other broadcaster.

Fellow members José Bautista, Paul Beeston, George Bell, Joe Carter, Carlos Delgado, Cito Gaston, Pat Gillick, and Dave Stieb joined Martinez on the field for Saturday’s ceremony.

Also in attendance were former teammate Garth Iorg, and former Blue Jays player and broadcast partner Pat Tabler.

Launched to coincide with Toronto’s 50th anniversary season, the Hall of Excellence was opened hours before Saturday’s game on an area of the lower level concourse behind the right field stands.

Late players Tony Fernandez and Roy Halladay, and late broadcaster Tom Cheek are also among the inductees.

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