After winning six straight Intercounty Baseball League championships, it would seem like Barrie Baycats fans would have nothing to be upset about.
Until today.
The always-smiling No. 10 is hanging up the cleats.
Possibly the most popular player in franchise history, Glenn Jackson has told BarrieToday he's calling it a career.
“I’ve been asked for a couple years now if I was done and every time I say 'yes'. My family and friends tell me I always say that and then just shrug it off,” Jackson said.
“This time, I’m saying it out loud, publicly and for a final time," he added. "This is it. I have to close this door.”
Jackson grew up in Toronto playing on the famous Christie Pits ball diamonds and now lives in Ajax with his family.
The trek to Barrie was always a long one, but after the heartbreak of missing out in 2014 on the Baycats' first victory of their six straight IBL titles (they won their first title back in 2005), the 36-year-old outfielder said he knew he wanted to come back to the city by the bay.
“I joined the league in 2005 and came to the Baycats in 2006 but left from 2012 to 2015,” Jackson said. “I remember sitting at home crying when the boys won in 2014. I knew I should have been here with my friends.
"I came back in 2015 and won five with the team," he added. "That win at home in 2015 was a huge highlight for me and my IBL career.”
Jackson's retirement follows on the heels of longtime catcher Kyle DeGrace also calling it a career last week after 15 seasons.
Jackson says he has plenty of memories with the Baycats he'll never forget.
“As far as highlights and favourite moments, it was the drives up the highway with (Baycats outfielder) Stevie Lewis, the parties at Spatty’s (outfielder Ryan Spataro) house, all of us being single guys and partying in downtown Barrie in the early days," he said. "But even better being married guys with our families all hanging out together. Those are the highlights of my career.”
In the 2019 playoffs, Jackson had a .242 batting average in 11 games and played 17 games in the regular season. Last year, he had .432 average in the playoffs and played in 30 of the team’s games in the regular season.
“I’m going to be 37 in November and I know I can still play, but my family isn’t getting any younger, either, and I need to be there for and with them,” said Jackson.
“My wife has sacrificed so much to allow me to play the game I love, but it's time for me to take my son to T-ball next season and do all the dad and husband things needed in the baseball season," he added.
Jackson coaches the Toronto Mets 15U team and says he's enjoying his time with his players and their family. He knows he'll continue to be a part of baseball in some capacity.
The five-time IBL champion also works for the Toronto Blue Jays in their ticket services offices, so he will never be fully away from the game.
“I’m always going to be around baseball; just my time as a player has come to an end,” Jackson said. “It is a really sad time and I know when the season starts, it will hurt a lot more, but it is over and I will cherish every memory thanks to the guys on the field and everyone in management. (Baycats president) David MIlls is a great man and that team takes care of their players better than any other. That's why we all wanted to play there.”
As far as his place in Baycats lore, the man with the nickname 'Legend' says he’d love to see the team honoured some day with retired jerseys or a banner commemorating the impressive run of six and counting IBL titles.
But Jackson says he isn’t the best Baycats player of all time, though he told BarrieToday he does have an opinion on who is, with a little caveat.
“I’ve told 'Spatty' before that he's the greatest Baycats player in history, but I’m the most popular,” Jackson joked.
All joking aside, Jackson says the memories from playing baseball in Barrie will last a lifetime.
“Sometimes it would take me 15 or 20 minutes to get back to the clubhouse, because I was outside chatting with fans, or signing autographs and asking how the family at home was," he added. "I loved every interaction and that was really me. I really am invested in all those people and I was blessed to have them think so highly of me.”
