By Geoff Smith (@smithco on Twitter)

Gaston recalls World Series wins 25 years later

Mar 30, 2017 | 12:20 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Twenty-five years ago the Toronto Blue Jays were on top of the baseball world.

The Jays, led by manager Cito Gaston, won back-to-back World Series titles, making them the first non-U.S.-based team to win Major League Baseball’s top prize. A quarter-century later, Gaston recalled those magical years for reporters in Lethbridge ahead of a fundraising event.

“I’m pretty sure the Americans didn’t like it at all, especially doing it back-to-back years,” Gaston chuckled. “I think there were some things I can’t talk about, but it wasn’t easy winning those things. I really had to stand up and voice my opinion sometimes, and sometimes I didn’t. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to get it done.”

Toronto defeated the Atlanta Braves in six games in 1992, and defended their title with a six-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, a win that will forever be remembered for Joe Carter’s walk-off three-run homer.

Gaston said it was remarkable considering they were two very different teams.

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“The ’92 team was a complete team, pitching, hitting, defence and certainly offence. ’93 was more of a team that had– I had a lot of guys that played with their hearts… we kind of overpowered people that year, which is hard to do.”

Gaston and third-baseman Kelly Gruber were the scheduled headliners for the 4th annual Legends of Sports Dinner at the Lethbridge Lodge Thursday, March 30. Gruber was still in transit and unable to meet with reporters during the morning. The event is a fundraiser for the Alberta Sport Development Centre – Southwest, Prairie Baseball Academy Scholarship Fund, and the Lethbridge Bulls.

Gaston believes Canadian baseball was helped by the Blue Jays’ past success, and he hopes it happens again and Canada can improve its performance in international play, such as the World Baseball Classic.

“Everywhere you go now, if you watch a game with the Blue Jays — it could be New York, it could be Boston — anywhere, you’re going to see Blue Jay fans. That’s when you know you’re playing for a country.”

During his playing and most of his managing days, Gaston pointed out there were two Canadian teams — the Blue Jays and the Montreal Expos. Gaston, whose playing career included an all-star season with San Diego, remembered playing at the Expos’ original home, Jarry Park. With a report this week that Montreal investors have met the conditions to bring a team back to the city, Gaston said there are some teams that might be suitable candidates to relocate there.

“Once Montreal, if they get a team back, let’s hope they support it,” he said. “We’re very fortunate in Toronto that they did support that team.

“I always thank the fans for the championships, the World Series that we have won, because without the fans we would not have any of those things. It enabled us to go out and get better players and keep the players that we had. So if they do go back in (Montreal), please support them.”