Fergie Jenkins not solely earned a legion of followers throughout his Hall of Fame baseball profession as a pitcher, he additionally earned the respect and admiration of his friends in baseball and different sports activities.

Larry Walker, the one different Canadian inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., got here to Chatham Saturday to be a part of a celebration to unveil a sculpture of Fergie Jenkins that may be a reproduction of the one in entrance of Wrigley Field, house of the Chicago Cubs.

Walker informed The Chatham Daily News all the things that was stated about Jenkins on Saturday is true.

“He has the biggest heart you can imagine,” Walker stated. “He gives time for everybody and he represents Canada and the game of baseball as good or better than anybody else I’ve ever seen.”

Walker added he’s proud to name Jenkins his good friend and being the opposite Canadian within the Hall of Fame with him “means a lot to me.”

Jenkins’ journey to the large leagues had an enormous affect on two Chatham residents who had success in Major League Baseball.

Doug Melvin, who had a stellar profession as a baseball govt, which included serving as supervisor of the Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers, stated Jenkins was the explanation he gave up hockey to pursue baseball.

“I probably might not have done it if it wasn’t for Fergie being who he was and being the star player,” he stated.

Noting, “I always said I wanted to be like Fergie,” Melvin recalled speaking about this when being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Having performed six years within the minors, he jokingly in contrast his pitching accomplishments to Jenkins, noting, “He threw 95 (mile per hour) and I threw 90. He threw for 3,000 strikeouts in the Majors and I didn’t have any.”

Melvin stated Jenkins wasn’t only a nice pitcher, “He was a smart, intelligent pitcher on how to pitch to hitters.”

He recalled throughout his time with the Milwaukee Brewers the good Hank Aaron telling him Jenkins “not only had good stuff. He knew what he was doing out there.”

He added Aaron informed him “it was not only a challenge to face his stuff, but to face his thinking. It was like playing in a card game.”

Bill Atkinson, a former pitcher with the Montreal Expos, grew up throughout the road from Jenkins once they lived on Adelaide Street South.

Noting the12 yr age distinction between the boys, Atkinson recalled when “I was just a little guy” telling Jenkins he was going to be knowledgeable baseball pitcher, too.

In 1971 when Atkinson signed with the Montreal Expos, he stated Jenkins “was the first guy to call me.”

He recalled telling Jenkins, “I told I was going to do what you were doing.”

He stated Jenkins replied, “Yeah, but you’ve got to get to where I’m at.”

Atkinson informed him inside 5 years, he can be there.

Atkinson stated he made it to the large leagues in 1976 and had nice yr in 1977. He was doing effectively in 1978 till he suffered a critical groin damage.

The two long-time mates by no means had an opportunity to play towards one another.

Atkinson stated when he was within the National League, Jenkins ended up within the American League. Then when he went to the American League, Jenkins got here again to the National League.

“I always wanted to do it and I imagined he always wanted to do it, because of us being neighbours and everything else and growing with each other.”

Atkinson stated Jenkins has at all times been a very good good friend.

He’s an excellent, tremendous particular person,” Atkinson stated. “You can’t ask for a better mentor . . .  because he’s just that type of guy.”

Jesse Barfield, a fan-favourite when he performed for the Toronto Blue Jays, stated he didn’t hesitate when Jenkins requested him to be part of Saturday’s occasion.

“He’s one of the kindest people that I’ve been around,” the previous star outfielder stated. “I love Fergie, he’s like a big brother to me.”

Being a part of Jenkins’ basis and concerned in charity occasions, Barfield stated he’s seen how “everybody loves and respects him and so do I.”

Growing up in Joliet, Illinois, Barfield watched Jenkins pitch many occasions for the Cubs, and was a fan.

“I just like the way he carried himself,” he stated.

Michael, ‘Pinball’ Clemons, who went from being a star operating again with the Toronto Argonauts to serving as basic supervisor, is impressed with Jenkins’s consistency and longevity, citing his seven 20-game successful seasons.

Clemons stated Jenkins’ ability on the sector made him a hero, however “that part of it, allowed us to see the real him, the human being, the family man, the person who loves community, coming out to help, giving a hand.

Calling Jenkins a “phenomenal citizen,” Clemons stated that’s the reason he attend Saturday’s occasion.

The ‘Great One’ from the world of hockey, Wayne Gretzky, despatched a recorded message that was performed for these attending the ceremony.

Recalling his time in Chatham enjoying eight video games with the 1973 Chatham Kinsmen Peewees, the one Chatham Minor Baseball Association staff to win a Canadian championship, Gretzky congratulated Jenkins.

“You inspire all of us,” he stated.