Today in sports history

Happy 40th birthday, Canadian-born journeyman major league outfielder Matt Stairs.

The stubby little Stairs (listed at 5'9", 175 pounds), grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and was a standout in both hockey and baseball. He chose baseball, obviously, and the Montreal Expos (R.I.P.) drafted him as a pitcher/shortstop. He made his major league debut in 1992, but played in just 19 games for the Expos in '92 and '93 before going to Japan, playing one season for the Chunichi Dragons.

After a season with the Red Sox, Stairs started to blossom in Oakland, where he spent five years, topping 100 RBIs twice, and hitting 38 home runs in 1999, finishing 17th in the American League MVP voting that year. Stairs was kind of a late bloomer, having his best season at 31. Most hitters peak around age 27, but Stairs didn't even get to play regularly in the majors until he was 29.

Sensing that Stairs might be in for a budget-busting contract, A's GM Billy Beane traded him after the 2000 season to the Cubs for Matt Ireland. (Who? Exactly.) After that, he spent one year with the Cubs, one year with the Brewers, one year with the Pirates, and two-plus years with the Royals. Just to make sure he didn't get comfortable, the Rangers made a deadline deal for him in 2006, then waived him that September after he'd hit just .210 for them in 26 games. The Tigers picked him up, and he filled in for 14 games before signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, his 10th major league team (11th if you count Japan).

He had a decent 2007 for the Blue Jays at age 39, hitting .289 with 21 homers and 64 RBIs. He is signed through 2009. Perhaps he'll finish his career in his home country, just as he started it there.