Baseball Canada’s Greg Hamilton will be formally inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ontario on Saturday, June 7th as he was announced today as one of six inductees that make up the class of 2025.
Hamilton, who has served as Baseball Canada’s Head Coach and Director of Men’s National Teams since 1998, will be joined by longtime Women’s National Team standout Amanda Asay who will be inducted posthumously, Toronto Blue Jays All-Star slugger José Bautista and 11-year Canadian big leaguer Érik Bédard who suited up for Canada in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee has also elected former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League legend Arleene Noga and Gerry Snyder, the Montreal city councilor who played a crucial role in bringing Major League Baseball to Canada. Both Noga and Snyder will be inducted posthumously.
A terrific multi-sport athlete who grew-up in Peterborough, Ontario, Greg Hamilton played both hockey and baseball at Princeton University before starting a coaching career in baseball that continues to this day. Hamilton transformed Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team for the top high school players in the country into a globally recognized program that has graduated hundreds of players into college and professional baseball including the likes of 2006 American League MVP Justin Morneau, 2004 National League Rookie of the Year Jason Bay, MLB All Stars Russell Martin, Josh Naylor and Michael Soroka, along with current and former pros Phillippe Aumont, John Axford, Jim Henderson, Édouard Julien, Brett Lawrie, Charles Leblanc, Bo Naylor, Josh Naylor, Tyler O’Neill, James Paxton, Nick Pivetta, Zach Pop, Michael Saunders, Cade Smith and Cal Quantrill.
Hamilton has built a program that has seen teams annually compete against professional competition while also facing the best of their age category competing in 12 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cups during his tenure where Canada has won two bronze (1997, 2006) and one silver medal (2012).
His efforts have also been notable on the Men’s National team side where Hamilton has put together national teams that competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, all five World Baseball Classic events and three Pan American Games tournaments where Canada has won gold medals in 2011 and 2015 along with a silver medal in 2019.
“Baseball Canada would like to congratulate the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 including our own Greg Hamilton who has had an immeasurable impact on Canadian baseball for over three decades,” said Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson. “Greg’s passion and commitment to Baseball Canada and the National Teams program has had a profound impact on our organization that will be felt for generations to come. He is a true Canadian baseball legend.”
One of the most decorated Women’s National Team athletes to compete for Canada, Amanda Asay competed in seven WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cups winning three bronze (2006, 2012, 2018) and two silver medals (2008, 2016) while also helping Canada win a historic silver medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games where women’s baseball was included in the sport program for the first time ever.
A native of Prince George, BC, Asay’s efforts on the field were apparent as both a powerful hitter and pitcher and led to two Women’s National Team MVP honours in 2006 and 2016. She was also a talented hockey player having competed for Brown University and the University of British Columbia.
Tragically, Asay passed away on January 7th, 2022, after a skiing accident in Nelson, BC. Later that year, Baseball Canada retired her #19 from the Women’s National Team.
Hailing from the small community of Navan, Ontario just east of Ottawa, Érik Bédard made his big league debut in 2002 with the Baltimore Orioles and pitched 11 seasons in the big leagues with the Orioles, Mariners, Red Sox, Pirates, Red Sox and Rays.
Making his lone appearance in a national team uniform at the 2006 WBC, Bédard had his best big league campaign in 2007 with the Orioles where he went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and registered 221 strikeouts in 182 innings. That strikeout total remains the highest in a major-league season by a left-hander born in Canada.
Among the greatest Toronto Blue Jays of all-time, José Bautista endeared himself to fans north of the border with his powerful right-handed swing that saw him belt a franchise-high 54 home runs in 2010. Bautista was a six-time MLB All-Star and led the Blue Jays to two postseason appearances including his memorable “bat flip” home run against the Texas Rangers in 2015.
To read more about the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame 2025 Inductees, please click here.
