Fame for Elliott

Congrats to Bob Elliott, the Toronto Sun's veteran baseball writer and author, who is the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's newest Jack Graney Award winner.

Colleague Mike Rutsey says in a Sun story the award has been presented 12 times in 24 years and Elliott's name now mingles with the likes of Milt Dunnell and legendary announcers Ernie Harwell and Tom Cheek.

The Graney award, in memory of the St. Thomas, Ontario, native, a major league player and announcer, is to "a representative of the media who has made a significant contribution to the game of baseball to Canada through their life’s work."

That is a perfect fit for Elliott, 61, who will receive his award June 18 at the 2011 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Previous winners:

1987: Neil MacCarl, Toronto Star; 1988: Milt Dunnell, Toronto Star; 1990: Austin “Dink” Carroll, Montreal Gazette; 1991: Joe Crysdale & Hal Kelly, CKEY; 1996: Dave Van Horne, TSN & CIQC; 2001: Tom Cheek, Toronto Blue Jays; 2002: Ernie Harwell, Detroit Tigers; 2003: Allan Simpson, Baseball America; 2004: Jacques Doucet, Montreal Expos; 2005: Len Bramson, TBS Sports; 2009: Ian MacDonald, Montreal Gazette.

Elliott has been covering baseball and the Blue Jays for the Sun since 1987.

The Hall of Fame's lengthy bio notes the Kingston, Ontario, native was born on Sept. 10, a birth date fittingly shared by Roger Maris and Joey Votto.

Elliott, who launched his sports writing career at the Kingston Standard in March of 1966,  has been nominated for the Cooperstown-based National Baseball Hall of Fame's J.G. Taylor Spink Award for three consecutive years.

But still the bridesmaid, not the bride, three years running.

You are due for Cooperstown, Bob. 

Like the Jays, Leafs, Raptors and Argos are fond of saying: Next year.