DUNEDIN, Fla. -- For decades, the Level of Excellence has represented the best of the Blue Jays. This year, that will be transformed into the Hall of Excellence, and it’s getting one new member.
Buck Martinez will be the first person inducted into the Hall of Excellence in a ceremony on Aug. 29, when the Hall itself will be opened to fans. Martinez will join the 11 Blue Jays legends whose names are on the Level of Excellence, who will then be moved into the Hall of Excellence alongside him; José Bautista, Paul Beeston, George Bell, Joe Carter, Tom Cheek, Carlos Delgado, Tony Fernandez, Cito Gaston, Pat Gillick, Roy Halladay and Dave Stieb.
Over the next five years, the Blue Jays will continue to induct a series of “players, coaches, builders and broadcasters” into the Hall of Excellence, which will create a fuller and richer history of this organization for fans as the Blue Jays celebrate their 50th anniversary season.
“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 & 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. Honouring Buck’s legacy in our 50th season is a privilege and a moment that reflects the profound connection he has built with fans across Canada.”
On the day of the Aug. 29 ceremony, the first 15,000 fans will also receive a Buck Martinez Legacy bobblehead, featuring Martinez as a catcher, manager and broadcaster, the three roles he’s held across his incredible career in baseball.
First traded to the Blue Jays early in the 1981 season, Martinez felt his career may have been coming to the end of the line, but it was just beginning. After playing parts of six seasons with those great teams of the mid-80s in Toronto, Martinez moved into broadcasting at the suggestion of Paul Beeston. It may not have come naturally to Martinez at first, but he quickly became an authoritative, unmistakable voice of baseball across Canada for decades, working across multiple networks and eras of the team.
This February, nearly 45 years after Martinez was traded to the Blue Jays, he announced his retirement from the broadcast booth with Sportsnet.
“Thank you all for embracing me and welcoming my family and me in a way that has made us feel like we are part of yours,” Martinez said in a statement. “I will dearly miss my working partners, the leadership at Rogers, and the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club, all of whom made it so much fun to be at the ballpark talking about the game I’ve loved for my whole life. As to the fans specifically, I will miss the ‘selfies,’ the handshakes and the welcoming smiles. I will never forget any of those, nor the unwavering support and generosity, which has meant more than words can say. I look forward to continuing to root for the Blue Jays along with you, and you’ll always be in my heart. My sincere appreciation to all of you.”
Now, fans will have another opportunity to show Martinez just how much he’s meant to them over the years, and for generations to come, fans will be able to learn about Martinez’s legacy in the Hall of Excellence.
More announcements are expected in the coming weeks about the Blue Jays’ additions to Rogers Centre for their 50th anniversary season, including even more installations to recognize the team’s half-century of history in Toronto.