Ron Taylor—a dependable Major League reliever, World Series champion, and longtime Toronto Blue Jays team physician—died on June 16 in Toronto at age 87 following a prolonged illness.
At a Glance
- Taylor pitched 11 seasons in MLB, winning World Series titles in 1964 and 1969.
- He recorded 491 appearances, a 45–43 record, and 74 saves with a 3.93 ERA.
- After retiring from baseball, he earned a medical degree and served as the Blue Jays’ team physician for 35 years.
- He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and awarded the Order of Ontario.
- His dual career in sports and medicine earned him the nickname “Dr. Baseball.”
A Calm Closer in Crucial Moments
Taylor was instrumental in two World Series wins. In 1964, he threw 4⅔ hitless innings for the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4, earning a save. Five years later, he was a key part of the “Miracle Mets”, posting 13 saves and a 2.72 ERA in 1969. He famously preserved a Game 2 victory over Baltimore with 2⅓ scoreless innings.
Taylor’s composure and command made him a quiet pillar of the bullpen—a reliever counted on when it mattered most.
Medicine After the Mound
After retiring from baseball in 1972, Taylor returned to Canada and enrolled at the University of Toronto medical school, graduating in 1977. He went on to become team physician for the Toronto Blue Jays, serving from 1979 to 2014 and contributing to the franchise’s World Series victories in 1992 and 1993.
His transition from elite athlete to trusted doctor was seen as a rare and extraordinary dual legacy in professional sports.
Honors and Remembering
A Toronto native, Taylor played for five MLB teams—the Indians, Cardinals, Astros, Mets, and Padres. His excellence on and off the field led to multiple accolades, including induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 and receipt of the Order of Ontario in 2005.
Colleagues and players remembered him as a model of professionalism, compassion, and integrity. “He was one of the unsung heroes of 1969,” said teammate Art Shamsky. “But he was a giant to all of us.”
Taylor’s life was a testament to grace under pressure—on the mound and in medicine. From delivering clutch saves to saving careers, he defined a unique legacy that transcends baseball and endures across generations.
