Mel Queen

Mel had all intentions of reporting to the Toronto Blue Jays'' 2011 spring training camp for what would have been his nearly half century in professional baseball, but instead, he battled cancer bravely for five months and succumbed Thursday, May 12, 2011. Mel''s life started in March 1942 in Johnson City, N.Y. He was born into baseball - his father was a pitcher for the New York Yankees and Pittsburg Pirates in the late 30s and early 40s. Mel graduated from San Luis Obipso High School in 1960. He was named CIF Player of the Year in 1959 and 60. He was signed by the Cincinnati Red''s for his hitting and outfield abilities and became a pitcher in 1964. In 1970, he was traded to the California Angels. After seriously injuring his arm, he retired in 1972. Mel could never leave baseball, so he signed on with the Cleveland Indians and started his coaching career, which saw assignments with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays. Mel''s heart was with the Blue Jays, where he was a major league pitching coach, Director of Player Development, and interim manager. He was proud to be part of three Cy Young Awards and the back-to-back World Series Championships in 1992 and 1993. He was the Senior Consultant to Player Development for the Jays at the time of his death and he leaves behind a long and rich history of baseball. To all of us, he was a wonderful man, "Dad, Papa or Uncle Mel," who had five decades of the most outrageous stories, from bass fishing in the Delta and alligator ponds in Florida to all of he old baseball parks, big leagues and minor leagues, and even a hi-hjacking in Cuba along the way. He would sit and watch us play baseball in the front yaerd and would coach with the intensity of the seventh game of a World Serices our own "dodge baseball." Mel was a part of a large loving family, who was with him until the end. The Queen family would like to recognize and thank Dr. Thomas Spillane, who entered into a valiant fight for Mel''s life, and Hospice Partners of the Central Coast, who lovingly helped him along on his final journey. Mel is survived by his wife of nearly 44 years, Gail; sons Jason and Christopher; daughter, Shirlee (Doug Spang); and nine grandchildren, who, in Mel''s proud words "made up their own baseball team:" Austin, Tanner, Rocky, Hanna, Carson, Jack, Ruby, Ben and Wyatt. Mel''s heart held so many memories and so many special people - one of the most treasured was a friendship that endured for nearly a half century with Dan Dorn, who was simply his touchstone. How can we tell you all about Mel in this short obituary? We can''t - he was a classic.