TORONTO — The announcement that a statue would be erected in honor of Buck Martinez — the longtime Blue Jays player, coach and commentator — stirred more than the usual excitement. Standing beside her husband, Ms. Arlene Martinez broke down in tears. “He cried,” she recalled, voice trembling. “I’ve never seen him get so emotional… he was so happy he couldn’t sleep at night.”
For Arlene, the moment crystallized decades of sacrifice, perseverance, and steadfast devotion: not only to the game of baseball, but to family and the community that loved him. The statue — to stand before Rogers Centre — is meant as a permanent tribute not just to Martinez’s achievements, but to a career built on humility, heart, and loyalty.
“For him, this is more than a statue. It’s a final acknowledgment that everything he ever did was seen, valued, and appreciated.” Arlene told fans who flooded social media with memories of summers spent listening to Buck’s voice on TV.
At 76, Buck Martinez has served as a pillar of the Blue Jays organization for more than five decades — as a player from 1981–1986, then as a coach, and eventually as the familiar voice of the team for millions of Canadian fans.
For many, his commentary has become part of their childhood summers, a warm and comforting presence even in the franchise’s toughest seasons. On social media and fan forums, it was common to see fans write that Buck was “the soul of the Blue Jays.”
But beyond the nostalgia and numbers, the statue honors the character behind the public persona: a man who — by all accounts — remained humble, approachable, and loyal. As one former teammate said then: “He was always the first to arrive, the last to leave, and would greet every employee at Rogers Centre.”
In 2022, during a difficult period when Buck underwent cancer treatment and temporarily stepped away from broadcasting, it was Arlene who stood as a pillar of strength — a reminder that the support behind the microphone often comes from behind the scenes.
Sculpted and financed at a cost of $1.5 million, the planned monument is more than a bronze figure — it is a symbol of gratitude from a city and a fanbase to a man whose voice, integrity, and love for the game left an indelible mark.
For Arlene Martinez, seeing it erected will be a bittersweet milestone — a mixture of pride, joy, and the emotional weight of remembering the journey: the early years of struggle, the hard work, the highs and lows, the illnesses, and above all, an unwavering love for the game and the people who supported him. As she said after the announcement: “When I saw the statue standing in front of the stadium, I knew he was going to cry again. But this time, it would be tears of pride.”
For the city of Toronto, and baseball fans everywhere, the statue stands as a reminder that sports legends are not just defined by their stats — but by their humanity, their resilience, and their capacity to inspire.
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