Former Blue Jay passes away
Duane Ward, a key figure in the Toronto Blue Jays‘ 1992 and 1993 World Series championship teams, has passed away at the age of 62. The Blue Jays announced on Sunday that Ward died from natural causes. The news came as a shock to his former teammates, many of whom had gathered in Toronto for a statue unveiling and celebration of the championship years.
Ward had attended a dinner with several of his former teammates on Friday night. During the evening, he had a private conversation with fellow pitcher Tom Henke. Henke noted that Ward looked a bit tired and mentioned he was going to rest after his trip from his Las Vegas home to Toronto. The two were scheduled to ride together in a parade of Blue Jays pickup trucks on Saturday afternoon, but Ward was absent.
Henke rode alone, and a search for Ward began. Later that day, his former teammates learned of his passing. Paul Beeston, the Blue Jays’ president emeritus, expressed his sadness, stating that Ward’s death was unexpected. Beeston also highlighted Ward’s involvement in the Blue Jays’ cross-country camps for kids.
A dominant bullpen presence
Ward’s legacy with the Blue Jays is significant, both for his on-field performance and his contributions off the field. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. Originally acquired from the Atlanta Braves on July 6, 1986, Ward joined the Blue Jays as a 22-year-old starter. He gradually refined his pitching, becoming a dominant force in the bullpen by the 1988 season.
From 1988 onwards, Ward consistently pitched over 100 innings for five consecutive years, serving as the Blue Jays’ primary set-up man. He often handled the seventh and eighth innings, preceding Henke, known as “The Terminator,” who would close out games in the ninth. After Henke departed as a free agent following the 1992 season, Ward took over as the closer.
In his role as closer, Ward led the American League with 45 saves, achieving a 2.13 ERA over 71.2 innings. This performance earned him his only All-Star selection. Dan Plesac, a former closer for the Milwaukee Brewers, recalled how hitters struggled against Ward, often remarking on his powerful sinker and overall dominance.
Between 1988 and 1993, Ward pitched 634.1 innings across 434 games, accumulating 121 saves and striking out 657 batters, with a 2.98 ERA. His partnership with Henke for five of those six years created a formidable bullpen duo, effectively shortening games for manager Cito Gaston. Henke noted that their combined presence often made opposing teams feel they needed to score before the seventh inning.
Impact on the championship teams
Ward was an integral part of both Blue Jays World Series championship teams. Gaston stated that the team never worried about the eighth and ninth innings with Henke and Ward in the bullpen. In the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Ward saved Game 1 and Game 4. He was also the winning pitcher in Game 6, the game in which Joe Carter hit his memorable home run.
The previous year, in the 1992 World Series against his former team, the Atlanta Braves, Ward was the winning pitcher in Game 2 and Game 3. Across the two World Series victories, Ward was the winning pitcher in three games and recorded saves in two others. Henke reflected on their competitive yet professional relationship, noting that they pushed each other to improve. He also mentioned Ward’s superstitions, including playing catch with Henke every day before batting practice and always being the first player off the field during batting practice.
The camaraderie among the former Blue Jays players was evident during the recent weekend celebrations. Henke described the weekend as memorable despite the sad news, emphasizing that Ward was present in spirit. Gaston expressed sorrow for Ward’s family and for all who feel the loss of a respected teammate and friend.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
