Baseball Canada | Matt Stairs 15th Canadian in World Series

October 21, 2008

Matt Stairs 15th Canadian in World Series

OTTAWA – Fredericton, New Brunswick native Matt Stairs is the 15^th Canadian in Major League history to reach the World Series after the Philadelphia Phillies qualified for the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993.

The Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series four games one thanks in large part to Stairs who came through with a clutch two-run pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning to give the Phillies a 7-5 win in game 4.

The 16-year veteran is making his first World Series appearance in his third post season outing. Stairs made his first two playoff appearances with the Boston Red Sox in 1995 and with the Oakland Athletics in 2000.

Stairs was traded to the Phillies on August 30^th from the Toronto Blue Jays before the playoff eligibility expired, allowing the utility player to be on the post season roster.

Stairs joins some exclusive company of Canadians in the World Series, including Jeff Francis (Vancouver, BC) and Eric Gagné (Mascouche, QC) who participated in the World Series last season with the Colorado Rockies and the Boston Red Sox respectively, and Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, BC) who hit .357 with two homers and three RBI his only World Series appearance in 2004 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The World Series is set to begin on Wednesday, October 22 when the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Tampa Bay Rays.

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