A former major leaguer who lived the dream of winning two World Series now has a new dream.

John Shelby’s dream is to coach a ballplayer from the Okotoks Dawgs’ organization in the major leagues.

Former Major Leaguer John Shelby urges the sold-out crowd at the Okotoks Dawgs banquet Saturday at the Foothills Centennial Centre to continue to support baseball. Shelby, a first base coach with the Baltimore Orioles, is the father of Dawgs’ centrefielder Jeremy Shelby. photo by Bruce Campbell

“Watching and listening how baseball has taken off here, I can’t wait until I hopefully coach one of the kids from Okotoks,” Shelby told a sold-out audience at the third annual Okotoks Dawgs banquet on Saturday.

“That is really my dream right now because I truly feel I am part of the O Dawgs.”

Shelby played 11 years as an outfielder in the major leagues and has two World Series rings, one from the 1983 Baltimore Orioles and another from the 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers. Shelby is presently the first base coach for the Orioles.

He has been in professional baseball for 33 years and on Saturday he was in attendance to see his son, Dawgs centrefielder Jeremy Shelby, win the team’s True Grit award.

Although being in professional baseball is financially lucrative, it comes with a price — like missing your children play baseball.

“You all have seen something I have never experienced,” Shelby said. “The only time I get to see my children is in the off-season. I haven’t been home for summer since 1976… I think I have seen Jeremy play three times. Being able to stay connected with the Dawgs through the internet, I actually felt I was here all summer. I am thankful my son was able to come up here.”

Shelby missed a 30-year reunion of the 1980 Charlotte Orioles to attend the Dawgs’ banquet.

“I chose to come here and I don’t have any regrets,” Shelby said. “I feel like I found another team that was as close as the one I was on in 1980.”

He urged the community to continue its support for the Dawgs — that support is the key to the team’s success.

The senior Shelby knows about success. In his 11 years in the Bigs he played alongside Cal Ripken with the Orioles, who was a member of the 1980 Charlotte team.

“He was just a regular person,” Shelby said in an interview. “We played at every level of professional ball together. He always showed up, worked hard and played hard. No one knew that he would go on to do what he did — I’m sure he didn’t know.”

Ripken became the Iron Man of baseball when he played in 2,632 consecutive games. He is one of only a handful of players to have more than 3,000 hits and 400 home runs.

Shelby was the starting centerfielder in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for the Dodgers. That was the game when Kirk Gibson would hit his historic walk-off home run off Oakland A’s closer Dennis Eckersley to win the game 5-4.

“People forget that it was Gibson’s only at bat in the World Series,” he said of the injured Gibson. “It was unbelievable. It was one of the ugliest at bats you would ever want to see — he could barely swing.”

Gibson wasn’t even in uniform when the game started.

Shelby also played with three Hall of Fame managers, Earl Weaver in Baltimore, Tommy Lasorda in Los Angeles and Sparky Anderson when he finished his career with the Detroit Tigers.

Although he is part of baseball history, the elder Shelby was thrilled to read articles on the Internet from Okotoks last summer.

“I would look at the attendance figure and would just be blown away by what I saw,” Shelby said. “I just want to congratulate each and every one you for the tremendous support you show for the O Dawgs.”

Knocking on the door

John Shelby might not have to wait too long before he sees an ex-Dawg in the major leagues. The other guest speaker, Jim Henderson, was named Canada’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season and he will report to spring training in a few weeks with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

Henderson credits the Dawgs program for getting his career on track.

“Throughout my time in pro ball, in the programs and the ball cards where it says ‘school or college attended’ I wish I would have said the Calgary Dawgs or Okotoks Dawgs,” Henderson said. “Without them I wouldn’t be where I am at.”

Henderson was drafted by the now defunct Montreal Expos in 2003, but the Chicago Cubs picked him up in 2007 where he had his best season amid speculation he would be called up to the Major Leagues. However, he blew his shoulder out the following season and was out of a job.

That is until an old Dawg went to bat for him.

“I missed the Olympics and the ’09 World Baseball Classic,” Henderson said. “I contacted every coach I knew, but no one wanted to take a chance on a 26-year-old minor leaguer coming off major shoulder surgery. That is when the Dawgs came to my rescue.”

Brandon Newell, a former coach with the Dawgs and now a scout with the Brewers, convinced Milwaukee to take a chance on Henderson.

Henderson urged Dawgs’ fans to cherish what they see at Seaman Stadium.

“You fans are treated to the purest form of baseball,” he said. “No millionaires fighting over their contracts, no individuals playing for themselves. These Dawgs players are playing as a team for the love of the game and for you fans.”

Henderson had 17 saves with the Brewers’ A club last season. He also pitched at the Double A level for the Brewers. Henderson was a member of Team Canada, which won a bronze medal at the Baseball World Cup in Italy. He picked up the save in Canada’s bronze medal victory over Puerto Rico.

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