‘Perseverance and determination can open doors,’ says Mayor Stéphane Boyer
In recognition of his pro-sports accomplishments in Major League Baseball, Charles Leblanc was presented by Mayor Stéphane Boyer with the City of Laval Medal on Oct. 11.
During the private ceremony, Mayor Boyer gave a brief account of Leblanc’s track record, which started when Leblanc first played baseball in Laval, up to more recently when he became a team member of the Miami Marlins.
Like father, like son
“He demonstrates that perseverance and determination can open doors and that anything is possible when you are willing to believe. We are very proud to honour Charles for his sports achievements and to count him as an outstanding citizen who makes us all proud.”
“Charles Leblanc was born in Laval, and his passion for baseball was passed on to him by his father who had dreamed of playing in the MLB,” said Boyer.
Role model for athletes
During the ceremony, which took place with members and friends of the Leblanc family, Mayor Boyer noted that Charles Leblanc had exerted a significant influence on aspiring young athletes from Laval.
‘We are very proud to honour Charles for his sports achievements,’ said Mayor Stéphane Boyer
Before being drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2016, Leblanc had played in 570 matches in the minor leagues. On July 29, 2022, the Miami Marlins selected the 26-year-old Leblanc’s contract and called him up to the major leagues for the first time.
His roots are in Laval
Leblanc began playing baseball in Laval for the “Associés de Laval,” a Laval-area elite minor league sports organization.
After completing a sports studies program at École secondaire Georges-Vanier, he attended the University of Pittsburgh. In 2016, he was the first player from the U of P to become a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s all-star baseball team.
