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Monday, April.22/2013

Mookie Wilson talking as the Keynote Speaker at the Tangle Golf and Country Club Friday April.12/2013, Thornton, Ontario, Canada.  MLB Reports was there to listen to the Mets Hall Of Famer speak – and we have a special 2 part series for you surrounding the event – including an exclusive one on one interview we conducted that will be the 2nd part of the 2 part series.

By Jordan Hennessey (Blue Jays Correspondent) Follow @hennej

One night with Mookie Wilson Part 1:

“Speed is the one thing that there’s no answer for. You can kind of contain it but in order to do that, you have to change your game” – Mookie Wilson.

Mookie Wilson is remembered for his speed and enthusiasm on the base baths, but there is more to him than that. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mookie Wilson at a Gala for Smith Brothers Baseball Central Sports Facility, a great new Baseball factory in Central Ontario.

The event was held at Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club. Partial proceeds went to Candlelighters Simcoe, in support of parents whose child has been diagnosed with cancer. Needless to say it was a great night for two great causes.

As an added bonus, we got to hear Mookie Wilson talk baseball, life, and his time on Sesame Street hanging out with the count. Which he told like it was yesterday.

To listen and read about the Interview I did with Mookie Wilson: Part 2 of a night with Mookie click here

The Mets and Mookie on Sesame Street

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (of the Smith Brothers Facility) on either side of Mookie Wilson.

Thanks to the Blue Jays winning back to back World Series 20 years ago , baseball factories like the Smith Brothers facility have been popping up throughout Ontario, and Canada for that matter.

Young people who grew up watching the Jays in the 80s and early 90s gained an appreciation for the sport and the talent being bred north of the 49th has steadily improved.

It is because of places like Smith Brothers that Canada has been put on notice on the international baseball scene. The dream of Smith Brothers was made a reality by Mr. and Mrs. Smith who spent the last few years building the facility pretty much with their own hands.

They’ve been open for just over a year, and in that time have been helping to train the young baseball hopefuls of tomorrow. I doubt they will be able to recognize the full scale of their contributions for years to come, but amongst the countless boys and girls who learn the fundamentals of this beautiful game at Smith Brothers could be the next Joey Votto or Brett Lawrie.

Spearheading the clinics are the two sons Kirby and Konar, both of them have grown up with the game and have had tremendous success on travelling teams in Ontario the elder Kirby plan to take his talents south in the fall on a scholarship.

He was in town for all of 40 hours, and still seemed accustomed to life in the show – hopping from plane terminal to hotel, and back home. At the age of 57 he hasn’t lost a step, and is still as excitable and passionate about the game as he was 25 years ago.

As much as he contributed to the game, the game gave it back, and you can tell that he is forever grateful for the generosity. As recent as 2011 he had been first base of coach of the New York Mets, heading into this season he will be back with the organization in various capacities, from PR work in New York, to working with some of the Minor League clubs in Vegas and Savannah, Georgia.

Although Mookie is best known for his time with the Mets, winning the World Series in 1986, and of course the famed “Buckner Bobble” , Blue Jays fans may also remember him for his 3 year stint with the Jays. He came to Toronto to begin the inaugural year of the Skydome (1989) and right in the middle of an impressive run of years which was of course capped off by back to back World Series wins.

Although he wasn’t here for the Championship run (they parted ways after the 1991 season) he loved his time here. He visits often and says he and his wife would live here if it were not so damn cold.

To listen and read about the Interview I did with Mookie Wilson: Part 2 of a night with Mookie click here

Mookie Wilson doing what he does best, Teaching the proper fundamentals in the game of baseball to a group of young ballplayers the next day at the Smith Brothers Facility on Apr.13/2013. Mookie devotes as much time as he can back to the game because he feels that is what you should do as an ex-player.

*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com or their partners.***

A big Thank – You goes out to Blue Jays Correspondent ‘Jordan Hennessey’ for preparing today’s featured post.  Jordan likes baseball, Blue Jays and Dr Oetkers Pizza.  He thinks that there is no better place to be then at a ball stadium on a summer afternoon. He is also a member on the Jays Care Young Professionals Committee.

He lives in Toronto, but in his mind he is always on Vancouver Island where he’s from.  You can follow him on Twitter and talk about baseball, Toronto, Vancouver or Canada in general. [twitter-follow screen_name=’hennej’ show_screen_name=’yes’]

Please e-mail me at: mlbreports@gmail.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. To subscribe to our website and have the Daily Reports sent directly to your inbox, click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.

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