Dr. Ron Taylor, a two-time World Series champion pitcher who later became the Toronto Blue Jays‘ team physician for three decades, died Monday, June 16, in Toronto following a lengthy illness. He was 87.
Taylor played a crucial role in two of baseball’s most memorable championship runs, winning World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 and the New York Mets in 1969. The right-handed reliever earned the nickname “Dr. Baseball” after pursuing medical school following his playing career and serving as Toronto’s team physician from 1979 to 2014.
Born in Toronto on December 13, 1937, Taylor began his professional baseball career after signing with the Cleveland Indians in 1955. He made his major league debut on April 11, 1962, at Fenway Park, throwing 11 scoreless innings before surrendering a 12th-inning grand slam in a 4-0 defeat.
After joining the Cardinals in 1963, Taylor contributed to their 1964 World Series championship. However, his most significant impact came with the Miracle Mets during their improbable 1969 title run. That season, he led the team with 59 appearances and recorded 13 saves while posting a 9-4 record with a 2.72 ERA.
Taylor’s postseason experience proved invaluable to the young Mets roster. Former teammate Art Shamsky emphasized Taylor’s importance to the team, noting that he was the only pitcher on their staff with championship experience. Shamsky indicated that Taylor had won a championship with the Cardinals in 1964 and brought a winning mentality, stating “We don’t win the title without Ron Taylor.”
During the 1969 National League Championship Series against Atlanta, Taylor saved Game 1 and earned the win in Game 2. His World Series performance against the favored Baltimore Orioles was equally impressive, as he pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings across two appearances. His most memorable moment came in Game 2, when he saved a 2-1 victory by retiring Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson with two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Taylor’s 11-year MLB career spanned from 1962 to 1972, during which he played for five teams: Cleveland, St. Louis, Houston, New York, and San Diego. He finished with a 45-43 record, a 3.93 ERA, 464 strikeouts, and 74 saves across 491 games, including 17 starts.
After retiring from baseball in 1972, Taylor returned to Toronto and pursued his medical education at the University of Toronto, earning his degree in 1977. His transition from professional athlete to physician was inspired by a USO tour to Vietnam near the end of his playing career, where he met and befriended doctors who sparked his interest in medicine.
In 1979, Taylor joined the Blue Jays as their team physician, a position he held for 35 years until his retirement in 2014 at age 76. During his tenure with Toronto, he was present for two more World Series championships when the Blue Jays won consecutive titles in 1992 and 1993. Taylor opened a practice in Toronto and performed operations at the S.C. Cooper Sports Medicine Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Taylor married Rona Douglas, a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital, in 1981, and they had two sons, Drew and Matthew. His sons produced a documentary about his life in 2016, titled “Dr. Baseball,” celebrating his unique dual career in professional sports and medicine.
Throughout his post-baseball career, Taylor maintained a connection to the game by occasionally pitching batting practice for the Blue Jays. His contributions to both baseball and medicine earned him numerous honors and recognitions.
Taylor was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985, followed by his induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. In recognition of his work in the medical field, he was appointed to the Order of Ontario by Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman in 2005.
The Blue Jays released a statement acknowledging Taylor’s passing, describing him as a long-time team doctor and former Major League Baseball player whose impact on the game, community, and organization would be remembered forever. The team noted that Taylor won four World Series championships during his career, including two with Toronto.
Taylor frequently returned to New York for Mets ceremonies honoring the 1969 World Series-winning team, participating in multiple anniversary celebrations over the past 16 years. The Mets organization described him as one of the unsung heroes of their championship run, emphasizing his crucial role in their historic achievement.