Former Bangor resident Matt Stairs is included on this year’s ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Stairs, who is a native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, is among 33 former major leaguers on this year’s ballot. He is joined among the first-year nominees by the likes of Manny Ramirez, Ivan Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero.
There are 19 first-year players on this year’s ballot. Voting ends Saturday, and the results will be announced on Jan. 18.
Stairs enjoyed a 19-year career in the big leagues, playing for a record 13 teams, including 39 games with the Boston Red Sox in 1995. He holds the record for most career pinch-hit home runs with 23.
Jason Dickson, the president of Baseball Canada, told the CBC that Stairs’ nomination likely had a lot to do with his longevity in the game.
“We know all the big name players but, you know, for Matt’s career to extend beyond 10 years, to do the things he’s done with so many different teams, I’m not surprised,” Dickson said.
“I think it’s great. I think it’s very reflective of how good a career he has when you get honored by even getting on the ballot.”
Stairs hit a home run in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series in 2008 that helped propel the Philadelphia Phillies into the World Series.
The 48-year-old Stairs, who recently was named the hitting coach for the Phillies, lived in Bangor from 2000 to 2012.
Stairs appeared in 1,271 career games, compiling a .262 batting average with 265 home runs and 899 runs batted in. The former Fredericton High School star was signed as a free agent by the now-defunct Montreal Expos in 1989.
While in Bangor, Stairs served as an assistant ice hockey coach at both John Bapst High School and Bangor High School. He spent four seasons with the Crusaders and worked briefly with the Rams before re-signing with the Phillies.
However, it was on Oct. 13, 2008, that Stairs cemented his name in Phillies history. He cranked a pinch-hit, two-run home run off Los Angeles Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton that helped propel Philadelphia to the National League pennant and the World Series title.
Each voting cycle, qualified members of the Baseball Writers Association of America name no more than 10 eligible players whom they consider worthy of Hall of Fame honors. To be enshrined, a player must be named on at least 75 percent of the voters’ ballots. Players are removed from the ballot if they are named on fewer than 5 percent of ballots or have been on the ballot 10 times without election.