Buck Martinez stood up the entire Rogers Centre as he returned to work this Tuesday after battling cancer.
The legendary Toronto Blue Jays announcer is still one of the crowd’s favorite play-by-play announcers. Before that, the elderly Buck was a baseball catcher in MLB from 1968 to 1986.
He spent 17 seasons on the MLB grounds playing with the Kansas City Royals, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
After his retirement, he has continued to dedicate his time to the Blue Jays, being an internal part of the team’s media.
What Kind Of Cancer Does Buck Martinez Have?
Buck Martinez first announced his cancer diagnosis on April 17, breaking thousands of hearts as he stepped down from his booth to undergo treatment.
Blue Jays confirmed the news through its official media site and even relayed Buck’s heartfelt message.
As the news reached every MLB enthusiast and staff, the Blue Jays worshipper has refrained from speaking more on his illness.
To date, he has kept the precise particulars of his cancer away from the fans so as not to make them worried. Thankfully, he has now recovered after spending time in the hospital.
Dan Shulman’s June 29 tweet revealed that Buck and his wife were returning home for recovery.
The beloved Buck had even struck a gong at the hospital and returned home for rehab.
Blue Jays Announcer Buck Martinez Defeats His Illness And Back To Work In Full Health
After spending nearly a month at his home going through rehab and recovery from his cancer treatment, the pride of the Blue Jays is back to the ground.
He is now cancer free and will continue his work as an announcer at his booth. CBC reports that Rogers Centre welcomed him well as fans were hoarding up signs of welcoming him back.
The Jays players even tipped out their hats, showing respect to the returning legend of the ground. After he ended his speech and thanked the fans of the Blue Jays, the crowd stood up together to shower him with a standing ovation later.
Last night’s game night became quite emotional and cheerful since Buck returned while the Blue Jays won the game with 10 points against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Now that he is back, this former Blue Jays manager will stay in his position for some more years.
Buck Martinez Has A Son With Wife Arlene, Making A Small Family
Buck Martinez was supported well by his family during the harsh times of his cancer diagnosis and treatment.
His family includes his wife Arlene of many decades and their only child, a son named Casey.
Casey Martinez was a 47th-round pick by Toronto in the 2000 First-Year Player Draft. However, he did not continue his baseball career like his MLB legend father.
The Martinez family resides in New Port Richey, Florida. While Buck is widely open to the media and public, the same cannot be said about Arlene and Casey.
Regardless, they are fully supportive of Buck behind the camera and public reach.