John Axford, who grew up in Port Dover, Ontario, played major league baseball for ten years. Nicknamed “Ax Man,” Axford, a pitcher, suited up for a number of teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals. He also played seven seasons in the minor leagues, and was named to Team Canada’s baseball team in 2013 and 2023. Prior to playing professional ball, Axford pitched for Notre Dame and Canisius College.
In 2011, Axford was the National League’s saves leader. That year, he received the National League’s Rolaids Relief Man Award, and was named co-winner (along with Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds) of the Tip O’Neill Award, issued by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Axford played minor ball in Port Dover and was a member of several provincial championship teams, including the 1999 Midget OBA Champions, 2000 Midget Champions and OBA Team of the Year, and 2001 Midget OBA Champions. One of his former coaches described Axford as a standout player, adding “it was his intelligence, his strong work ethic, and his leadership that set him apart.”