Ernie Whitt

Leo Ernest Whitt, born on June 13, 1952, is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the Toronto Blue Jays. He began his MLB career with the Boston Red Sox in 1976 but was soon selected by the Blue Jays in the expansion draft after that season. Whitt became the starting catcher for the Blue Jays in 1980 and remained with the team until 1989, making significant offensive contributions and earning an All-Star selection in 1985. He played a total of 1,218 games for the Blue Jays, recording 938 hits with a career batting average of .249, 134 home runs, and 534 RBI. After his playing career, Whitt remained active in baseball as a manager and coach. He managed the Canada national baseball team since 2004, leading them to various international competitions, including the Olympics, World Baseball Classic tournaments, and the Pan Am Games. Under his leadership, Canada won gold medals in the Pan Am Games in 2011 and 2015.