Before Sunday’s first pitch against the Chicago White Sox at Rogers Centre, the Toronto Blue Jays held a moment of silence to honor Duane Ward, who passed away on Saturday. The centerfield videoboard also displayed a montage of the legendary reliever as baseball fans remembered his prowess on the mound. The story that started in Toronto in 1986 came to an end forty years later, as Ward breathed his last in the same city for which he lifted two World Series Championships. He was 62 years old at the time of his passing.

Born to Tommy and Evelyn Ward on May 28, 1964, Roy Duane Ward was the second oldest among four brothers. While all the children were involved in sports in the modest New Mexico family, only Ward would go on to play professional baseball. Ward was in Toronto for the unveiling of a statue that the Blue Jays built to commemorate the 1992 and 1993 World Series-winning teams when he unexpectedly passed due to natural causes. The Toronto Blue Jays announced the news of Ward’s passing on their official X handle.

“It is with profound sadness that the Toronto Blue Jays mourn the passing of pitcher Duane Ward, one of the most accomplished and beloved relievers in franchise history,” the team said in a statement.

Duane Ward started refining his baseball skills as early as high school. He played baseball for the Farmington High School Scorpions, one of the well-known baseball programs in New Mexico.

Duane remembered his weekends during high school as “we always played doubleheaders, back to back against, say, Albuquerque High School, and then the next day we’d travel over to Santa Fe and play a doubleheader there.”

The pitcher established himself in the American Amateur Baseball Congress leagues and in the Connie Mack World Series with the Scorpions. Ward also starred on his high school basketball team in 1981-82, helping them win the New Mexico Activities Association Class 4A State Championship.

The Atlanta Braves drafted Ward from Farmington and opened the avenue of professional baseball for him.

The Braves scout Bob Wadsworth drafted Ward in June 1982 in MLB’s amateur draft. Alongside Jim Kimmel, he is the second-highest draft pick of players from New Mexico after Alex Bregman. Though Ward started his big-league career at Atlanta in 1986, he was soon traded to the Blue Jays for pitcher Doyle Alexander.

Ward spent the rest of his almost decade-long career with the Blue Jays, as he established himself as one of the most dominant relievers of the game. Setting up before Tom Henke, Ward and Henke became one of the most formidable closer-setup man duos in MLB history.

After Henke left the Blue Jays, Ward became their new and reliable closer, becoming a part of franchise history. Between 1986 and 1995, Ward played 452 games in the Blue Jays uniform, becoming a franchise leader in saves with 121. He also holds the single-season franchise record in saves with 45 in the 1993 season, helping the Blue Jays win their second straight World Series championship.

Duane’s career was short-lived as an arm injury sidelined him in 1994. He only played four more games in 1995 before retiring from pro baseball. At his retirement, Ward held a 32-37 record with a 3.27 ERA in 462 games.

The Blue Jays inducted Ward into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. As the commemoration celebration turned heavy with his sudden passing, Ward’s legacy will keep shining.

MLB fans mourn Duane Ward’s sudden passing

“Heartbreaking news. Prayers to the family,” wrote one fan. Remembering the Ward-Henke duo, another commented, “Mr. 8th inning to set up Mr. 9th inning the Terminator.”

Ward and Henke, also known as “The Terminator,” formed the most indomitable relief pitching duo for the Blue Jays. Together, they anchored the bullpen, as Ward often preserved leads, helping Henke close the game. They worked together to win the 1992 World Series championship before Henke left Toronto in free agency to join the Texas Rangers.

Henke, who was also in Toronto for the celebration, left with a heavy heart.

“It really hasn’t set it in yet,” Henke told Sportsnet. “I would have never guessed it. He looked a little tired, but that was it. It was a long trip for him (from his Las Vegas home to Toronto). He said he was kind of tired and was going to go to bed and get some rest for the next day. It was quite a shock.”

As the news of Ward’s death spread, baseball fans remembered his dominance on the mound.

One fan expressed, “Man, that’s sad to hear…Always felt secure when he pitched in the 9th in ‘93, a la Louie. RIP Duane Ward.”

Ward had his best season in 1993, when he established himself as a closer after Henke left. In 71 games, he recorded 45 saves, posting a 2.13 ERA. He was equally exceptional during the World Series, recording two saves. He also earned the win in Game 6 against the Philadelphia Phillies, the same one where Joe Carter hit his walk-off home run.

A user wrote, “This is so sad. Always will cherish going to his baseball clinic growing up.”

Duane Ward may have retired from professional baseball. But he never stopped giving back to the sport. Along with the Toronto Blue Jays academy, Duane Ward held youth instructional camps and community coaching programs, which were immensely popular among the younger generation. In these baseball clinics, young Canadian athletes got the opportunity to learn fundamental baseball skills.