Jenkins looking forward to Labatt Park homecoming

It’s ‘Fergie Jenkins Day’ at Labatt Park Friday, as the London Majors celebrate the legendary pitcher. Jenkins, a Hall-of-famer, has fond memories of playing for the Majors following his MLB career.

Fergie Jenkins pitched for the London Majors in 1984 and 1985, following a Hall-of-Fame career in the major leagues — most notably with the Chicago Cubs.

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Fergie Jenkins loves the game of baseball so much he’d play for free – or even just gas money. That’s exactly the deal the MLB Hall of Famer struck when he got a random phone call from then-London Majors owner Arden Eddie back in 1984.

“I was living on my ranch in Blenheim right after I retired when I got a call from Arden asking me if I wanted to play some games on the weekend for the Majors,” recalled the Chatham born all-star. He had just wrapped up a 19-year MLB career that saw him notch 284 wins along with more than 3,000 strikeouts.

“I wanted to stay active, so I said sure. I went to London and we signed a contract for that season. I told Arden I was going to pitch on the weekends at Labatt Park and you get a pretty good crowd, so we decided to split the attendance 60/40. You don’t have to pay me a salary, just give me gas money to go back and forth. And that’s what we did. Sixty percent went to cancer research, and he took the other 40.”

The Cy Young winner will relive some of his glory days as a Major this Friday when he returns to the Forest City for Fergie Jenkins Day at Labatt Park. In partnership with Tourism London and the Majors, Jenkins will be in attendance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, sign autographs for fans, and experience the newly created Labatt Park Tours.

Launched in 2021, Labatt Park is now offering guided tours of the venue where guests can learn more about the world’s oldest continually operating baseball grounds which has seen the likes of Ty Cobb, Satchel Paige, Honus Wagner and, of course, Jenkins.

“It is always a pleasure when we have the opportunity to honour one of our alumni, especially someone like Fergie who had such an incredible career and a tremendous impact on the game of baseball,” said Majors owner Scott Dart. “We are so excited to welcome Fergie back to London and have all of our Majors fans share this experience with him.”

Jenkins revealed that his time with the Majors in the 1980’s was almost his second go-around with the team. It was back in 1958 when then-London Free Press sports writer Ernie Miller did his best to convince a 16-year old Jenkins to make the trek up the 401 and suit up for London. The youngster was all for it.

“This was before I signed professionally. I was 16 at the time but it ended up that the Ontario Baseball Association said I had to stay in my own area, which was Chatham, and couldn't come to London,” said Jenkins from his home in Texas.

He recalls throwing pretty good as a teenager and how excited he was about the opportunity.

Jenkins signs autographs for fans during his time with the Majors.

“My dad would have driven me anywhere on the weekend for whoever I had to play for. It just didn't work out.” 

What did work out was a professional career, which he began just a few years later, in 1962, signing first with the Philadelphia Phillies. That started Jenkins on the road to what would be a phenomenal – and dominating – career in baseball.

After his MLB career, would pitching for the Majors at Labatt Park not be a far cry from 40,000 fans packed into Wrigley Field – just a year earlier? Jenkins didn't see it that way. 

“Baseball is the same all over. (Labatt) was a great park to pitch in. It has to be one of the top parks in that league, so I really enjoyed getting back on the mound and getting my feet wet again,” he said. “I made a bunch of friends and had some great teammates on that ball club. I was just turning 40 and wanted to contribute a little bit back to baseball in Ontario, so it was a lot of fun.”

Jenkins wasn’t about to slow down, either, and he led the Intercounty Baseball League with 9 wins – while also contributing offensively, hitting .384 and knocking in 24 runs.  

“It was only about an hour’s drive from my home, so I would work out with the team sometimes and we played pretty good that season,” he said. The Majors finished 21-11 that year. “It was a good brand of baseball. I really enjoyed it.”

Jenkins would return for a second season in 1985, but with more duties on his ranch beginning to take over, he was limited to just five games that year. He would lead a few baseball clinics every now and then over the next little while around Ontario as a way to still be part of the game and give back to the next generation of Canadian ballplayers.

Which is why he decided to be part of the promotion of the Southwestern Ontario Baseball Heritage Pass, which also include parks in Beachville and St. Mary’s, home of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

“Baseball has been my life. Giving something back is important,” said the 79-year-old, referring to keeping some of Ontario’s great ballparks going strong. “There are a lot of great Canadian athletes who will get the opportunity to be seen by major league scouts in these and other parks in Ontario. It’s an opportunity for them to live out their dream.  

“I played in a lot of cities across the province, like St. Thomas, Hamilton, Belleville, Peterborough, Toronto; I had a chance to live out my dream and it all worked out pretty good. My roots are baseball and I’m still Canadian.”

Jenkins, who still works as a team ambassador for the Chicago Cubs, and was recently honoured with a statue outside Wrigley Field, said he’s looking forward to catching up with old friends and teammates this Friday when the Majors, riding a six-game winning streak, take on the Hamilton Cardinals.

While he’ll toss out the ceremonial first pitch, don’t get any ideas he’s coming out of retirement …

“I’m about to turn 80 and not throwing anymore,” Jenkins laughed. “I’ve moved on.”

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Fergie Facts

• 284 wins

• 3,192 strikeouts

• 3x All-Star (’67, ’71 and ’72)

• NL Cy Young Award (’71)

• 2x Wins leader (’71 and ’74)

• NL strikeout leader (’69)

• Six consecutive 20-win seasons (’67-’72)

• London Majors #31 retired

• Chicago Cubs #31 retired

• Member of the Order of Canada (’79)

• Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (’87)

• National Baseball Hall of Fame (’91)

• Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (’95)

• Canada Walk of Fame (’01)

• Texas Rangers Hall of Fame (’04)

• Statue at Wrigley Field (’22)