Charlie Metro 1919 - 2011
Metro began his career in baseball as a player within the St. Louis Browns organization before catching on with the Detroit Tigers and later on the Philadelphia Athletics. Shortly after his playing days concluded, Metro would find his way to the New York Yankees as a manager within the organization and would later find his way to the Major Leagues as manager of the Chicago Cubs before joining their crosstown rivals, the White Sox. Metro would maintain the role of a scout for a few seasons in Chicago before he found his way back into a uniform as a manager in the Pacific Coast League.
Metro would find his way to Vancouver, managing the Mounties of the PCL for three seasons (1957-59) which included a 97-win season in his first campaign north of the border.
Metro would leave Vancouver after just three seasons due to restrictions on his working visa and returned home to the United States where he would eventually manage the Kansas City Royals for 54-games (1968) replacing Joe Gordon.
After nearly a full lifetime on the diamond, Metro retired to his Denver, CO before finding his way home to Buckingham, Virginia for the final few years of his life. Metro passed away comfortably among family at the age of 91.
Vancouver Canadians owner Jake Kerr remembers Vancouver's baseball 'heyday' and says Metro had a lot to do with it.
"Charlie had a pretty good team back in those days and he really packed the fans into Capilano Stadium. He had a real passion for the game. Players loved playing for him and fans felt a connection to his fiery, but enjoyable personality".
The Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club extends their condolences to the Metro family back in Virginia and throughout the US and celebrates the life of a man who helped Vancouver sports fans discover the joy of the game through the eyes of one of baseball's true greats.