Bautista, Bédard, Hamilton, Asay, Noga, Snyder to be inducted into Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum
Six new members will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in a ceremony on June 7.
Former Toronto Blue Jays slugger José Bautista will be inducted alongside ex-big-league left-hander Érik Bédard (Navan, Ont.) and Canadian Junior National Team head coach Greg Hamilton (Toronto, Ont.). Longtime Women’s National Team star Amanda Asay (Prince George, B.C.) will also be inducted posthumously.
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League legend Arleene Noga (Ogema, Sask.) and Gerry Snyder, the Montreal city councillor who played a crucial role in bringing Major League Baseball to Canada, will also be inducted after being elected by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee. Noga and Snyder will be inducted posthumously.
“We are proud and excited to celebrate the outstanding careers of this year’s inductees in St. Marys on June 7th,” said Jeremy Diamond, chair of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s board of directors. “Each of them, in their own distinct way, has had a tremendous impact on the game of baseball in our country.”
Unfortunately, Érik Bédard will not be able to attend the ceremony.
The induction ceremony will be part of a series of activities that will also include a meet-and-greet with the inductees and other special guests called “The Opening Pitch” at the Left Field Brewery in Toronto (June 5) and the Hall’s 27th annual celebrity golf tournament and banquet (June 6).
Agenda of 2025 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Events
*All times in Eastern Standard Time (E.T.)
Thursday, June 5
Event: The Opening Pitch, which will feature a meet and greet with inductees José Bautista and Greg Hamilton, plus other Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, including Fergie Jenkins, Larry Walker, Gord Ash and Rod Heisler.
Location: Left Field Brewery (Liberty Village), 40 Hanna Ave., Suite G1, Toronto, Ont.,
For more information about the venue, click here.
Time: 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $100, which includes food, open bar and silent auction. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Friday, June 6
Event: 27th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic and Banquet
Time: Registration at 9 a.m., Tee-off at 10 a.m., Dinner/banquet starts at 4:00 p.m. Program and awards will immediately follow the dinner.
Location: St. Marys Golf and Country Club, 769 Queen Street East, St. Marys, Ont.
Banquet will be held on the Hall of Fame grounds, 386 Church Street South.
Cost: Golf tournament is sold out, but banquet tickets are available for $95 each. The deadline to purchase banquet tickets is June 3. Tickets HERE.
Celebrities for this event will include: José Bautista, Greg Hamilton, Fergie Jenkins, Larry Walker, Steve Rogers, Russell Martin, Lloyd Moseby, Denis Boucher, Rod Heisler, Phillippe Aumont, Dustin Molleken, Bill Humber, Larry Balkwill, Billy Atkinson, Paul Spoljaric, Merlin Malinowski, Sarah Wilkes-Lizmore, Jeremy Ware, Janet Leung, Erika Polidori, Mike Johnson
Saturday, June 7
Event: Induction Ceremony for José Bautista, Greg Hamilton, Érik Bédard, Amanda Asay, Arleene Noga and Gerry Snyder. It will be emceed by Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae. Free to attend.
Induction Day Schedule:
9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Baseball games will be played on the Hall’s diamonds.
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. – Inductee press conference inside the museum (386 Church St. S.) (media only)
11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Museum open to public for regular admission fees.
1:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. – Induction Ceremony on the Hall of Fame grounds. Dave Perkins will also be presented with the Jack Graney Award. (386 Church St. S.). Free to attend.
3:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. – Autograph session* (Please read rules below) with inductees, past inductees and other special guests. Check the Hall’s website for more information.
*Please note Érik Bédard will not be in attendance.*
Cost for Autograph Session (Please read rules below):
*Autographs are not guaranteed
*Members should bring their membership card.
*Members $30 each to enter the autograph session.
*Non-members $40 each to enter the autograph session.
*Hall of Fame 2025 members will enter the autograph line first.
*Autograph session is 90 minutes long.
*Autographs are limited to one item per person per inductee/special guest.
*Autographs will be signed on a first-come first-serve basis.
*Hall of Fame staff reserve the right to cut the autograph line at any time.
*NO posed photos.
2025 Inductee Bios
José Bautista
Born in Santo Domingo, D.R. in 1980, Jose Bautista developed into one of the greatest players in Toronto Blue Jays’ history during his 10 seasons with the club from 2008 to 2017.
After serving as a part-time player in 2009, Bautista made adjustments to his swing and set a franchise record with 54 home runs in 2010. That performance earned him his first of six consecutive All-Star Game selections and his first of two straight American League Hank Aaron Awards as the league’s top hitter.
He followed that up with his best all-around season in 2011 when he hit .302 and topped the AL in home runs (43), slugging percentage (.608) and OPS (1.056). In 2015, Bautista helped propel the Blue Jays to their first division title in 22 years. He then cemented his legacy as a clutch performer with four postseason home runs, including his most memorable, which is simply known as the “bat flip” in Blue Jays’ lore.
Bautista ranks near the top in many of the Blue Jays’ all-time offensive categories, including first in WAR (38.3) and second in home runs (288).
“My years in Toronto were the best of my career. Taking the field every day and representing an entire country that so passionately supported us back was truly amazing,” said Bautista. “I am deeply humbled and honoured by this announcement of being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and joining many other greats. I cannot wait to share it with you all in St. Marys this summer.”
For his full bio, click here.
Érik Bédard
Born in Navan, Ont., in 1979, Érik Bédard was chosen in the sixth round of the MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He quickly developed into one of the best pitching prospects in the O’s organization and was selected to play in the MLB Futures Games in 2001 and 2002.
Bédard joined the Orioles’ starting rotation in 2004. Two years later, he enjoyed a breakout season when he set career-highs in wins (15), starts (33) and innings pitched (196-1/3). He followed that up with his finest big-league campaign in 2007 when he went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and registered 221 strikeouts in 182 innings in 28 starts. That strikeout total remains the highest in a major-league season by a left-hander born in Canada.
In February 2008, he was dealt to the Seattle Mariners where he’d record a tidy 3.31 ERA and fan 249 batters in 255-1/3 innings in 46 starts over parts of three seasons. He completed his major league career with stints with the Boston Red Sox (2011), Pittsburgh Pirates (2012), Houston Astros (2013) and Tampa Bay Rays (2014).
Bédard is the leader among Canadian big-league left-handers in starts (230), innings pitched (1,303-2/3) and strikeouts (1,246).
“Thank you. Super grateful for this beautiful award,” said Bedard. “I hope it can inspire the new generations.”
For his full bio, click here.
Greg Hamilton
Born in Toronto in 1965, Greg Hamilton has served in prominent leadership roles with Baseball Canada for more than three decades. During that time, he has overseen the most successful era in the history of the national teams program.
His affiliation with the national teams began in 1992 when he was named pitching coach of Canada’s Senior National Team. He held that post through 1995 until he became the head coach of the Junior National Team the following year. Hamilton continues to head the junior team today, while doubling as director of men’s national teams.
Under his guidance, the Junior National Team has won three medals: a silver at the U-18 Baseball World Cup in 2012 and bronze medals at the same event in 1997 and 2006.
As Senior National Team GM, Hamilton assembled the Canadian squads that captured gold at the 2011 and 2015 Pan Am Games – the first two golds ever won by the Canadian senior team. In 2022, Hamilton was a recipient of Baseball America’s Tony Gwynn Award, for his lifetime contributions to baseball.
“Having grown up in the Canadian baseball system and spent the vast majority of my professional baseball career working for Baseball Canada, it is an absolute honour to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Hamilton.
For his full bio, click here.
Amanda Asay
Born in Prince George, B.C. in 1988, Amanda Asay joined the Women’s National Team in 2005 and became one of its finest and longest tenured players. An outstanding two-way player, she was a two-time National Team MVP (2006, 2016).
Her best all-around performance with the National Team came at the Women’s World Cup in 2018 when she recorded two wins, while also batting .500, to lead Canada to a bronze medal.
In total, in her decade-and-a-half with the National Team, she was a key contributor on teams that captured five Women’s World Cup medals, as well as a silver medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games.
She passed away on January 7, 2022 at the age of 33. In 2024, she was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame posthumously.
“I think of Amanda every day so it was with tremendous pride to learn that she will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Amanda’s mother Loris Asay. “She would be, as I am, thrilled to know of this recognition of her commitment to the sport of baseball.”
“Amanda’s induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is an incredible honour,” added Amanda’s father George Asay. “Baseball Canada and the Hall have done Amanda so proud, much as she has, and continues to, make us her proud parents. It is truly hard at this point to process it all. To be included with baseball legends the likes of Russell Martin, Wayne Norton, Rusty Staub, Fergie Jenkins, Dave Stieb, Andre Dawson, Justin Morneau and Ashley Stephenson – one just can’t list all the baseball giants enshrined. It is, and will continue to be, a source of pride for the entire Asay family. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Selection Committee. Being a longtime fan of the Expos, Jays and National Teams I feel unbelievably privileged to have our daughter, Amanda, included with such an amazing collection of hugely talented athletes.”
For her full bio, click here.
Veterans Committee Inductees
Arleene Noga
Born in Ogema, Sask., in 1924, Arleene Noga was an outstanding softball player when she was signed by the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) in 1944.
Noga joined the Fort Wayne Daisies for 15 games in 1945 prior to being dealt to the Muskegon Lassies. The sure-handed infielder proceeded to establish a league record for best fielding percentage (.942) by a third baseman. At one point, Noga played over 300 consecutive games, which garnered her the nickname “Iron Lady.” In all, she competed in 354 AAGPBL games, which is the eighth-most among Canadians who played in the league.
Following her AAGPBL career, Noga returned to Regina where she was part of nine provincial championship-winning softball teams. But she never lost her connection with the AAGPBL. She served as a member of the board of directors of the AAGPBL Players Association for 12 years and was a spokesperson for Canadian AAGPBL women.
She was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame the following year.
She passed away on March 14, 2017 in Regina, Sask.
“I was surprised and honoured to learn that my mom, Arleene Johnson Noga, was to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame this year,” said Carol Lee (Noga) Scott, Arleene Noga’s daughter. “I was surprised because I had no idea that this was in the works, but I feel honoured because she dedicated most of her life to baseball and empowering women in sport as a player, coach, mentor, and ambassador. Thank you for the recognition of her accomplishments and her passion.”
For her full bio, click here.
Gerry Snyder
Born in Montreal in 1920, Gerry Snyder played a crucial role in bringing Major League Baseball to Canada. As a city councillor and passionate sports ambassador, Snyder worked tirelessly to secure a big-league franchise for Montreal.
He first met with MLB commissioner Ford C. Frick in 1962 and after the National League announced in 1967 that it planned to expand by two teams, Snyder started travelling to National League meetings to ensure that Montreal was on the radar for their expansion plans.
Snyder convinced Seagram owner Charles Bronfman to come on board as a financial backer and eventually as the club’s primary owner. The relentless Montreal politician’s efforts were finally rewarded when the National League announced that the city of Montreal would be awarded Canada’s first major league franchise on May 27, 1968.
After the Expos began play, Snyder returned to his role as city councillor for the district of Snowdon, a capacity he’d serve in for 25 years. Throughout his political career, he continued to be a tireless sports ambassador for Montreal and helped the city land the 1976 Olympics.
Snyder passed away on November 26, 2007 in Montreal.
“We have always been so proud of our dad for everything he did, but bringing the Expos, the first Canadian major league baseball team ever to Montreal, Quebec, in Canada, we all agree must have been one of the proudest moments of our lives, our mother’s, and his,” said Snyder’s children in a statement.
“Our dad would have been so very happy to have received this phenomenal news! He was determined that whatever it took to achieve his dream of promoting Canadian baseball, he would do. I’m sure he never thought that he would receive this important recognition from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He loved his sports and was extremely passionate about promoting baseball in Canada. Thank you on behalf of a man who believed in perseverance being a pathway to success. To all his friends, colleagues, journalists, players and fans who knew and supported him, thank you from the entire Snyder family.”
For his full bio, click here.
