Rheal Cormier

Rheal Cormier, born April 23, 1967, in Cape Pele New Brunswick, pitched 16 years in the major leagues, the fifth most seasons played by a Canadian (tied with Ryan Dempster), behind Fergie Jenkins and Matt Stairs (tied with 19), and Joey Votto and Larry Walker (tied with 17). His 683 games pitched for St. Louis (1991-‘94), Boston (1995, 1999-‘00), Montreal (1996-‘97), Philadelphia (2001-‘06), and Cincinnati (2006-‘07) represent the most outings ever by a Canadian behind Canadian Baseball Hall-of-Famer Paul Quantrill (841). He was drafted in the sixth round in 1988 by the St. Louis Cardinals, and was one of only eight Canucks selected that year. He finished his Major League career with 71 wins, a 4.03 ERA, 1221 innings pitched, and 760 strikeouts alongside 317 bases on balls. His best season was 2003 for the Phillies, where he finished with an 8-0 win-loss record, a 1.70 ERA, pitching 84 innings while striking out 67 and allowing just 54 hits. Having only played twice in the post-season, in 1995 and 1999 (both with Boston), Cormier pitched in eight games, compiling a 1.08 ERA over eight innings with 10 strikeouts.

Cormier also pitched for Canada’s 1985 Junior National Team, as well as for Team Canada at the 1987 Pan Am Games and Intercontinental Cup, the 1988 and 2008 Olympic Summer Games, and in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. In 1996, the Expos nominated him for the True Value Roberto Clemente Award for his involvement in several school programs in New Brunswick and because he was a spokesman for a teenage anti-suicide and anti-drug campaigns. Rheal passed away March 8, 2021.

“This is an unbelievable honour to have been chosen and mentioned in the same breath as the great Canadians who have been inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame before me,” stated Cormier from his home in Park City, Utah.

CAREER MAJOR LEAGUE STATISTICS