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, a Toronto native, was part of championship teams with both the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 and the New York Mets in 1969. The right-handed reliever earned the nickname “Dr. Baseball” after pursuing a medical career following his retirement from professional baseball.
The Mets described Taylor as one of the unsung heroes of their 1969 championship run. During that season, he led the team with 59 appearances and 13 saves while posting a 9-4 record and 2.72 ERA. His postseason performance proved crucial to the team’s success.
In the 1969 National League Championship Series against Atlanta, Taylor saved Game 1 and earned the win in Game 2. During the World Series against Baltimore, he pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings and recorded a save in Game 2, retiring Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson with two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth inning to preserve a 2-1 victory.
Former teammate Art Shamsky emphasized Taylor’s importance to the team’s championship success. Shamsky indicated that Taylor was the only player on their staff with postseason experience, having won a championship with the Cardinals in 1964 and bringing a winning mentality. According to Shamsky, “We don’t win the title without Ron Taylor.”
Taylor’s professional baseball career spanned 11 seasons from 1962 to 1972. He began with the Cleveland Indians in 1962, where he made his major league debut on April 11 at Fenway Park, throwing 11 scoreless innings before surrendering a 12th-inning grand slam in a 4-0 defeat. He joined the Cardinals in 1963 and helped them secure the World Series title the following year.
After his time with St. Louis, Taylor pitched for the Houston Astros from 1965 to 1966 before joining the New York Mets from 1967 to 1971. He concluded his playing career with the San Diego Padres in 1972. Over his 11-year career, Taylor appeared in 491 games, including 17 starts, finishing with a 45-43 record, 3.93 ERA, 464 strikeouts and 74 saves.
Following his retirement from baseball, Taylor pursued medical studies at the University of Toronto, earning his degree in 1977. His interest in medicine was sparked during a USO tour to Vietnam near the end of his playing career, where he met and befriended doctors who inspired his career change.
In 1979, Taylor joined the Toronto Blue Jays as their team physician, a position he held for approximately 30 years. During his tenure with the organization, he was present for the Blue Jays’ World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, adding two more championship rings to his collection.
Taylor opened a medical practice in Toronto and performed operations at the S.C. Cooper Sports Medicine Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital. In 1981, he married Rona Douglas, a nurse at Mount Sinai, and they had two sons, Drew and Matthew. Taylor also served as a batting practice pitcher for the Blue Jays during his time as team physician.
His contributions to baseball and medicine earned him numerous honors. Taylor was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1993, and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He was appointed to the Order of Ontario in 2005 for his work in the medical field.
Taylor retired from his medical practice in 2014 at age 76. In 2016, his sons produced a documentary about his life titled “Dr. Baseball,” reflecting the nickname he earned during his unique dual career in professional sports and medicine.
The Blue Jays released a statement acknowledging Taylor’s passing, noting his four World Series championships during his career and describing his lasting impact on the game, the community, and their organization. The team extended condolences to his loved ones while remembering his contributions both as a player and as their longtime team physician.
Taylor was born on December 13, 1937, in Toronto, beginning his professional baseball journey when he signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1955. His career represented a rare combination of athletic excellence and medical service, spanning both the baseball diamond and the medical field over several decades.