Blue Jays Icon Duane Ward Passes Away at 62 After Statue Event

WHO:

NY Post - Duane Ward arrived in Toronto on Friday ahead of the unveiling of a Joe Carter statue commemorating the World Series titles.

ESPN - The Blue Jays announced that Ward died of natural causes in Toronto.

ESPN - The Blue Jays announced that Duane Ward died of natural causes in Toronto.

ESPN - The Blue Jays expressed condolences, stating, "Duane will be deeply missed by our fans, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family."

NY Post - Duane Ward, Blue Jays World Series champion, died at 62.

MLB.com - Cito Gaston, legendary manager of the Blue Jays, spoke about Ward.

MLB.com - Joe Carter, Blue Jays player, was honored with a statue.

MLB.com - Pat Gillick, Hall of Famer and former general manager of the Blue Jays, was present.

MLB.com - 28 players, coaches, and front-office personnel from the 1992 and 1993 teams attended the ceremony.

WHAT:

MLB.com - The statue unveiled is the first player statue to stand outside the Rogers Centre in the club’s 50-year history, depicting Joe Carter leaping into the air in celebration.

MLB.com - The statue stands 15 feet tall and weighs 6,200 pounds.

MLB.com - Joe Carter stated, "This is icing on the cake. This is basically getting your flowers while you’re still alive."

MLB.com - The 1992 and 1993 rosters are listed along the statue’s granite base.

MLB.com - Ward was noticeably absent from the ceremonies themselves.

ESPN - Ward went 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA and two saves in his eight career World Series appearances.

ESPN - Ward was the winning pitcher for the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series.

ESPN - Before their game against the Chicago White Sox, the Blue Jays paid tribute to Ward with a scoreboard montage and a brief moment of silence.

MLB.com - The statue unveiled is the first player statue to stand outside the Rogers Centre in the club’s 50-year history.

NY Post - Ward was in Toronto for the unveiling of a Joe Carter statue.

MLB.com - Ward passed away in Toronto from natural causes.

MLB.com - The Blue Jays unveiled the "Back-to-Back World Series Statue" depicting Joe Carter.

MLB.com - The statue stands 15 feet tall and weighs 6,200 pounds.

MLB.com - Carter's walk-off home run in the 1993 World Series is considered an iconic moment.

MLB.com - Ward's 45 saves in the 1993 season remain the single-season franchise record.

WHERE:

NY Post - The statue was unveiled outside the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

MLB.com - Ward passed away in Toronto.

WHEN:

MLB.com - The Blue Jays will unveil their Hall of Excellence on Aug. 29, honoring Buck Martinez and members of their Level of Excellence.

MLB.com - The statue was unveiled on a Saturday afternoon.

MLB.com - The Blue Jays will unveil their Hall of Excellence on Aug. 29.

WHY:

MLB.com - The statue honors the Blue Jays' back-to-back World Series championships and the impact on fans across Canada.

HOW:

MLB.com - The unveiling ceremony was led by Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae, followed by speeches from Joe Carter and Cito Gaston.

MLB.com - The ceremony was attended by 28 players, coaches, and front-office personnel from the 1992 and 1993 teams.

MLB.com - After the ceremony, Joe Carter and Cito Gaston led alumni from the ‘92 and ‘93 teams back into the stadium, where Carter addressed the crowd and threw the ceremonial first pitch to George Springer.

MLB.com - The unveiling ceremony was led by Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae, followed by speeches from Joe Carter and Cito Gaston.

A statue of Joe Carter was unveiled outside the Rogers Centre, marking the first player statue in the club's 50-year history, and it stands an impressive 15 feet tall and weighs 6,200 pounds. During the unveiling ceremony, which was led by Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae, both Joe Carter and Cito Gaston delivered speeches, with Carter expressing his gratitude by saying, "This is icing on the cake. This is basically getting your flowers while you’re still alive." The statue also features the rosters from the 1992 and 1993 championship teams inscribed along its granite base.