Ron Taylor

My Condolences.

Ron lived up Banff Road from me, 80 years ago, but I remember him as if it was yesterday. He was so unique, as a boy, that it seemed to me he must have been born with all the valued characteristics that served people around him so well throughout his long and impressive life.
It was my good fortune to randomly meet Ron on a few more occasions; he was always friendly and interested. That was how he faced the world.
My first impression was of a modest, almost shy person; but he was so much more than that. In his quiet, reflective way, he revealed a brilliantly quick wit and a very deep, thoughtful intellect. He was also very kind, and patient with those who didn't measure up to his gracious approach, which, I'm afraid, would be most of us.
I never met him after he signed with Cleveland, but I would read about his successes, and watch them on TV. None of them surprised me at all; of course he could pick up an engineering degree in his spare time, of course he could pitch successfully in pressurized World Series situations, and of course he would decide to become a doctor in order to help others; he was Ron Taylor!

Dear Rona and family,
Sending our condolences as we keep you in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. Had the privilege of working with Dr. Taylor at the S.C. Cooper Sports Clinic in the early to mid 90´s. Ron´s dry wit was legendary. He will be missed.

I grew up in Leaside from 1944-68. Although 5 years younger than Ron, I knew of his baseball pitching skills (tremendous curve ball) having seen him pitch at Talbot Park in the 1950's. I just knew he could make it to the show in the early 1960's. I saw him on TV pitch for the Cardinals in the 1964 world series and again for the Mets in the 1969 series (both times his teams were heavy underdogs, but won anyhow). He was a natural talent!











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Dear Rona and Family,
I will never forget the care Dr. Taylor, and you, took to ensure my health and well-being for 33 years. He was so generous with his time. Every concern was addressed and considered. Dr. Taylor´s medical knowledge and calm nature, humour, great stories, and interest in my world, made for a reassuring visit to the doctor´s office. May he rest in peace, and may you be comforted with many happy memories.
My sincere condolences,
Bernice Slotnick

I knew Ron and was a friend for 79 of his 87 years. We met at Talbot Park and baseball was a central theme throughout. I was lucky enough to drive to Cleveland with Ron and his father for a weekend and a final look by Al Lopez before the signing. I travelled, so met him mainly in New York or Chicago throughout some of his playing life. Subsequently, he became my family doctor and I mentioned this Toronto jewel to Peter Bavasi of the Toronto Blue Jays when they came to life in 1977. He needed a team doctor and Ron was his man. We saw each other socially for the rest of his life. My grandkids are the same age as his kids, so they got to know each other too.

My heart aches for Rona and the boys. I lost my wife, Hazel, 3 years ago, and she was a fan as well. I am 91 now, and I never met a better man!--Rich Cairns

My deepest sympathies to Rona and her family on the passing of Ron. He truly was an amazing doctor. It was a relief going to his office and know with confidence that I was well taken care of. Thinking of you Rona.

My husband, Ken, was a patient of his and also conducted Ron´s son, Matthew´s wedding. Always good to be in touch with Rona as both our husbands declined in health. Barbara BAGNELL.

Dr. Taylor was a wonderful physician and a lovely man. I´m so sorry to learn of his passing. My most profound condolences to his family and friends.

On June 30, 1962, I clipped from The Toronto Star sports section a three panel cartoon highlighting the pitching debut of Leaside´s Ron Taylor against the ( real ) Toronto Maple Leafs. Ron was pitching that night at Maple Leaf Stadium for the Jacksonville Suns, the AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians . I was fifteen, and eagerly cheered for this homegrown hero the rest of his career in baseball and medicine. Four years ago, just after Christmas, I had the honour and great privilege to present Dr. Taylor with this same clipping - a copy of which he had framed on his wall. I also gifted him a biography of his favourite manager and former Brooklyn Dodger great Gil Hodges . I had met Ron, a nearby neighbour, through a mutual friend . A few of us took him to lunch where he regaled us with hilarious and outrageous ( true) stories of a life in baseball. Without boasting, I will say Dr. Taylor enjoyed my knowledge of many of his minor and major league teammates from Minot to Cleveland, St Louis Houston and the Miracle Mets. What a great gentleman, and how fortunate I was to have known him, however briefly. With best wishes to Rona and the whole family.

Selby Martin
Bracebridge, Ontario

To "Ron Taylor Family! I have just read of "THE DOCS" passing and wanted to reach out and share my sincerest condolences! Liz Bartliff

Ron looked after me for twenty years and hard to imagine a person saying ` I sure liked going to the Doctor ` ..... Because I did .... GodSpeed, Ron , we shall remember you fondly

Dear Rona - our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you mourn the loss of your dear Ron.
Dawn & John Bradley

Ron was a caring and intuitive physician. I was his patient for his last 20 years in practice and missed him enormously when he retired. Condolences to his family and many friends. Ian Mackay

Dear Rona and family. I wish to express my condolences to you on the loss of your dear husband and father. I pray you will be comforted by happy memories you shared as a family. Kindly and lovingly Alison

My Dad played baseball with Dr.Taylor at Talbot Park in Leaside. I heard lots of great story's about Ron's early baseball career - and what a career it was! Near the end of his medical career he agreed to take me on as a patient and was very generous to me and my family. When my Dad was ill and in a wheelchair, he helped make arrangements for him to see a Jays game and came up to spend time with us - it really perked my Dad up at the time. And when my Dad passed, he was instrumental in getting the last spot for a commemorative tree at Talbot Park. I heard early stories about Ron for most of my life and was privileged to get to know him personally. He was a very compassionate doctor and generous man to myself and my family. He definitely made the most of life and I'm sure he's admired and respected by many. Condolences to his family and friends. Michael Davidson

I met Ron when I was nursing at Mount
Sinai and he was my doctor. He was the most caring and gentle doctor. He was a special man.

Dr. Baseball will always be remembered.

I started watching baseball in October 1969 when I had the mumps and
Ron won the world series with the Mets. Little did I realize that many years later I would meet him and he would be my doctor.

My condolences to his family.

To Ron's Family,
Ron was the teenager living across the street from me who was always out front playing catch with one of the neighbours on Banff Rd. way back in the fifties.
And then, the neighborhood kids watched him play at Leaside park. Always a very quiet and polite person, but friendly to everyone. And then, much later he came over to borrow a suitcase from my father as he was on a flight to the U.S. to pitch.
Only the beginning of two amazing careers ! So sorry for Ron's family to lose such a wonderful man.
........ Jane (Rodman) McDonald

Very sorry to hear about Ron's passing and condolences to his family. We are distant cousins from the original Taylor settlement in Portlaw, Ontario. We both share the same middle name which came from his father Wesley. As a boy Ron would visit with us and I was ever so amazed at how far he could throw a rock, no wonder he turned out to be a great baseball player. Rest in peace Ron from the family of Elmer Taylor.

The Evans Family

He was my father´s cousin (since passed) and every year for many years Christmas cards would arrive and my father told me that he would play catch with him as a kid when his parents would visit his parents. He use to laugh about it because he never knew he was playing catch with a World Series pitcher at the time.

Dr. Taylor was my GP for many many years before he retired. He was a kind and gentle man with great concern for my health and well being.
When I had an appointment, we would chat about baseball, I was and still am a Blue Jays fan.
He was the doctor who discovered my serious thyroid condition and referred me to an Endocrinologist. I am forever grateful to him for the care he provided. Thanks so much Dr. Baseball, Rest In Peace!

Condolences to his family

Thank you for your dedication and service, Ron. Rest in peace and hopefully we'll all get to see you again

We moved to Toronto in 1982. I worked at The Second Cup in the Eaton Centre in 1983, where I met my best friend. She was a patient of Dr. Taylor, and the rest, as they say, is history. He was the absolute best doctor. We left Toronto after ten years, but Dr. Taylor was not forgotten. It was an honor to have been his patient.
Our condolences to his family.
The Fortins

I didn't know Ron well, but we were in the same medical school year at the University of Toronto (class of 7T7). Three random memories of him from that long ago time immediately come to mind.

We both attended the same lab session on cardiac physiology during which an anesthetized dog obtained from the local pound was used as a demonstration subject. Ron became quite concerned when he discovered that the animal was to be euthanized immediately after the class was over. He offered to adopt it then and there, but was told that the Medical Faculty's agreement with the providing agency did not allow for that. That he was subsequently so upset and frustrated by this response spoke to his very great kindness as a person.

He was one of the calmest people I have ever met. During another lab session he volunteered as a guinea pig as the rest of us learned how to take blood from an arm vein. In spite of repeated inexpert jabbing, his heart rate remained remarkably low. This personal physiology must have stood him in good stead as a MLB relief pitcher, when the pressure would have been absolutely immense.

And he was one of the friendliest and most down-to-earth people I've ever met. In spite of a large difference in age, life experience, and well-earned fame, he was easily approachable and downright humble. While he was not just another neophyte medical student, he deported himself like one, readily talking respectfully to just about everyone he met.

All I can say is that he was one of the best of us. He will be missed as a baseball player, a good physician, and -- above all -- a decent human being.

Ron and I were classmates at North Toronto Collegiate in 1956/57 and team mates on the high school hockey team and on Westlake Motors hockey team when we won the THL Juvenile Championship. He was not supposed to play hockey as he was contracted to play baseball but he was a natural athlete and I think he enjoyed playing hockey just as much as baseball.
We lost contact when he moved to the US to play ball and I went to Windsor for university and then moved to Montreal for ten years.
We reconnected when I returned to Toronto and he was my doctor for over 25 years. I remember when he talked about retiring. He showed me his voluminous hand written files and said "I´m a dinosaur in this computer age". I disagreed, he was a competent physician and diagnostician who never hesitated to send you to a specialist if another opinion was needed. He was a man of few words who was described well by the expression "still waters run deep".
Brian O´Malley

I had the pleasure of working with Ron at the S.C. Cooper sports clinic for 12 years and always enjoyed his dry humor and expertise as a sports medicine doctor. I came into work one Monday and asked how his weekend went and he remarked in a very understated manner that he had been in Cuba to have dinner with Fidel Castro! That was the type of life he led. In spite of this large life it was obvious that dedication and care to his patients was the most important thing to Ron. He will be missed by everyone that was touched by this larger than life character.

I was telling a young baseball fan in Stratford a week ago about cousin Ron being in the Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Mary. I can remember listening to the baseball game on the radio with my Dad. What excitement when he signed with the Cleveland Indians.
My condolences to Rona and the boys.
Doreen (Taylor) Weeks