Steve Rogers was approaching the end of his stellar career with the Montreal Expos when a young pitcher named Dave Stieb just began taking flight for the Toronto Blue Jays.
''The power slider and the power fastball - when things were on, I definitely wanted to have it like Dave did,'' said Rogers. ''It was fun to watch him.''
Just as Rogers had been the most dominant pitcher north of the border during the 1970s, Stieb went on to become the foremost hurler in Canada throughout the '80s, a decade in which he won 140 games.
It's fitting, then, that the all-time winningest pitchers in Blue Jays' and Expos' history will enter the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame together June 25 after being named for induction Thursday.
''Obviously I'm very proud and honoured,'' said Stieb. ''I never thought for a second all my endeavours there would lead me to make it ... so it's truly a great honour and caps off a storied career.''
Joining them in the Class of 2005 are Charles (Pop) Smith, who played in 1,093 major-league games between 1880 and 1891, and longtime trainer Harold (Doc) Younker.
Rogers, a native of Jefferson City, Mo., spent his entire 13-year career with the Expos, helping transform the franchise from expansion oddity to legitimate contender.
The right-hander, chosen fourth overall in the 1971 draft, went 158-152 with a 3.17 earned-run average over 399 career games from 1973 to '85. He had several stellar seasons, including a 19-8 mark in 1982, and won at least 12 games or more from 1977 through 1983.
''This is by far and away the greatest honour that I am going to receive so I accept it as exactly that,'' said Rogers, who now works for the Major League Baseball Players' Association. ''It's recognition of the years I spent in Montreal and I'm just very grateful for it.''
Rogers retired after the 1985 season, by which time Stieb had fully hit his stride as a big-league ace. That year, Stieb led the Blue Jays to their first AL East title and was tremendous in the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals despite taking the loss in Game 7.
''Those are things I will never forget in my career,'' he said.
The right-hander from Santa Ana, Calif., won 16 games twice, 17 games three times and set a personal high of 18 in 1990. Stieb was 175-134 as a Blue Jay, with a 3.42 ERA in 439 games. He also went 1-3 during a brief stint with the Chicago White Sox in 1993.
But Stieb is best remembered for his repeated flirtations with no-hitters and perfect games. In his final two starts of 1988, he ended up with one-hitters after twice surrendering two-out hits in the ninth inning and had five one-hitters before finally recording a no-hitter on Sept. 2, 1990, at Cleveland.
''If I had to pick a (highlight), it would be the no-hitter because of coming close so many times and all the expectations of getting one,'' said Stieb.
His first stint with the Blue Jays ended badly, with the club buying out his contract shortly after winning the World Series in 1992. Saddled with back problems and tendinitis in his right elbow, he was limited to cheerleading during the post-season before being shown the door.
''It was great to finally get to the World Series and to win it and get a ring after all those years that I put in with that organization, starting from scratch basically,'' he said. ''And to be dealt with the way that I was, it hurt. I felt like I was just discarded without any loyalty to all the years and innings that I put out there for the organization.''
In 1998, Stieb made a comeback with the Blue Jays at age 40 after four seasons on the sidelines. He was 1-2 with two saves in 19 games and retired for good after the season, with no more ill feeling toward the franchise.
''They were great to me throughout all the years,'' he said.
A fifth-round draft pick in 1978, Stieb is widely regarded as the best starter developed by the Blue Jays - although could change that down the line with the continued improvement of current starter Roy Halladay.
Rogers also has some mixed emotions looking back at his days in Montreal.
The 1982 all-star game at Olympic Stadium is one of the highlights of his career, coming when the Expos were known as Nos Amours (our beloved ones) in the city.
''It was pretty heady times for the Expos franchise and that kind of epitomized, to me, arriving,'' said Rogers.
Twenty-two years later, the team was moved to Washington.
''I felt very badly for the baseball fans in Montreal,'' he said. ''It turned out that there weren't enough of them to support the franchise and that became evident over a long period of time. I am just glad for the current players' sake that they now have a home that is going evolve into something very special.''
Smith, who was born in Digby, N.S., in 1856 and died in Boston in 1927, batted .222 during his career spent primarily with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. The second baseman had 24 homers with 358 RBIs and 169 stolen bases.
The 1,093 games played puts him eighth all-time among Canadians.
Smith earned his nickname in the late 1880s when his signature moustache became bushy, making him look older than he was.
The Hall is seeking assistance in finding any living relatives. Smith was married with one son, Arthur Dixwell Smith.
Younker, a resident of Langley, B.C., spent nearly 50 years as a trainer from grassroots-level teams all the way to the major leagues. He worked for the Los Angeles Angels during their inaugural season in 1961 and later served as trainer for the San Diego Padres between 1976 and 1985.
''I can't believe it,'' said Younker. ''Truly, this completes my circle of life.''
Most recently, Younker has worked as a trainer for several Baseball Canada national teams while also helping with various high school and university baseball teams and local instructional camps.