SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 13: A detail shot of the New York Mets logo is seen during the game between the New York Mets and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Bryan Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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The New York Mets received news that a former first baseman and pinch hitter, Tim Harkness, died at age 87 on Monday.
The news was shared by Canadian Baseball Network’s Bob Elliott on X, formerly Twitter. Harkness was born in Lachine, Quebec before being signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1956, making him one of the first Canadian born players in the major leagues.
The Phillies traded Harkness to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1957. In 1959, while playing for the Triple-A Montreal Royals, Harkness was among the first to play a game in Cuba following Fidel Castro’s rise to power.
