NYBA Remembers Clyde King
Clyde King – NYBA Volunteer
North York Baseball Association was deeply saddened by the news of the recent passing of Clyde King.
Clyde will be remembered for his tireless contributions to developing minor league baseball in Toronto, most notably his more than 45 years as a dedicated volunteer, administrator, and innovator with the North York Baseball Association (NYBA).
Clyde, along with his wife Shirley were active volunteers and NYBA board members. Their efforts across the entire organization in the early days carried the association through some very tough times. In 2004, Clyde received the Province of Ontario Volunteer Service Award.
For many years, Clyde was head coach and manager for the Mosquito Rep team. (Then called Tyke and now known as 10U/11U). He is pictured here with Tom Lawson (convenor) when his team won the NYBA Tyke Tournament in 1984.
Tom Lawson (convenor) with Clyde King whose team won the NYBA Tyke Tournament in 1984.
Highlights of his very successful coaching career include winning the Ontario Baseball Association Coach of the Year award (1994), and managing the gold medal-winning Toronto team at the Ontario Summer Games (2000). In 2004, Clyde led the Ontario Girls team to victory at the Baseball Canada National Championship. In 2009, his team won the Toronto Regional Secondary School baseball championship.
When Clyde retired from coaching, he remained very active at Bond Park for a number of years. He was very creative and mechanically inclined, and effectively applied these skills searching out projects for repair, maintenance and improvement.
Clyde built practice, training and skills devices for young players — mostly for batting. It was never clear what he invented from scratch verses what designs he adapted.
Clyde was not only in the trenches carrying out these projects, he was skilled in cajoling ‘volunteers’ to assist him.
Clyde’s last days were spent at the Greenview Senior Care Residence in Toronto. He passed away Friday, November 19, 2021, at the age of 90. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 60 years, Shirley, and is survived by his only son, John.
The ninth of ten siblings, Clyde was born May 20, 1931 in Fortune, Newfoundland. He married Shirley, also from Fortune, in 1955. They settled in Don Mills, where Clyde retired after 35 years working for Revenue Canada.
A proud Newfoundlander from a close-knit family, he was a devoted husband and caring father, with many long-time friends.
He was a lovely man.