Since leaving in the late 1980s to pursue a baseball career, trips back to his hometown have been few and far between for Paul Spoljaric.
In Kelowna for a rare visit this week to teach at a camp hosted by the Toronto Blue Jays, the former major league pitcher was thrilled to be returning to familiar surroundings.
“It’s incredible to be back,” said Spoljaric, 41, whose parents still live in Kelowna. “You know, everybody’s got something missing in their lives, and this is what I was missing. Coming back here and seeing the mountains again, being in this great environment, I really love it. This is truly home for me.”
Spoljaric made a stop Kelowna this week to work as one of the instructors at the Blue Jays Honda Super Camp at Elks Stadium.
The three-day camp for more than 120 kids also featured the likes of Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, as well as fellow ex-Blue Jays Lloyd Moseby, Duane Ward, Rance Mulliniks and Homer Bush.
Spoljaric, who resides in Lisle, Ont., was the first and only player born and raised in Kelowna who came up through the local minor system and went on to play in the major leagues.
The 6-foot-3 left-hander spent parts of seven seasons in The Show from 1994 to 2000, including four with the Toronto Blue Jays. Spoljaric made 195 appearances—12 of them starts—and posted an 8-17 record.
Getting his start in the game in Kelowna still holds a special place for Spoljaric.
“I’ve got nothing but good memories of all my past, in any respect to baseball in my younger years,” said Spoljaric, a graduate of Springvalley Secondary.
“I can’t think of a bad coach, I had great coaches, people like Mr. Watt and Mr. Cridland…there were just so many. They all made baseball fun for me, it really translated in my energy on the field, and the way I approached the game came through in the way they helped me over the years.”
Within Kelowna’s baseball community, Spoljaric’s name often comes up as an example—a sort of pioneer or poster boy, if you will—for young players in the valley who aspire to one day follow in his footsteps and play in the major leagues.
Spoljaric is humbled by his place in Kelowna’s baseball history and wants young players to know anything is possible.”
“I hope to be the first of many (major league players) to come from here,” said Spoljaric, a father of three boys and two girls. “It’s an honour to be thought of in that way, and I guess it’s also my reward.
“You know I worked really hard to where I got and it all started right here. I think it’s a good step for any kid that has the opportunity to play baseball here to realize that you can make something of it, and get that opportunity to play under the big lights.”
Twelve years removed from the end of his big-league career, Spoljaric still reflects fondly on his days in the majors, and considers himself fortunate to have played as long as he did.
“I got lucky, a lot of things worked out for me, I blossomed at the right time and peaked at the right time,” he said. “The opportunity was there for me to take a chance and get into the big leagues, so I can’t look back on it with anything but fond memories.
And what was the highlight of Spoljaric’s major league career ?
“The one that really stands out for me is my first win,” said Spoljaric, who earned his first M.L. victory with the Jays in 1996. “It was against Detroit and Jacob Brumfield scored the winning run. I remember him clearly standing on second, and him just booting around the bases like he was on fire. That was definitely one of my best memories.”
Following his major league career, Spoljaric played eight seasons in the Intercounty Baseball League, an independent circuit in Southern Ontario.
He now lives in with his family in Lisle, Ont., where he owns and operates a commercial flooring business.
