The Toronto Blue Jays television color commentator Buck Martinez and his wife, Arlene, have been married for nearly five decades.
Their love for each other has remained strong despite their long conjugal life.
Together, they are doting parents to a son named Casey Martinez.
John Albert “Buck” Martinez is a former professional baseball player and manager born November 7, 1948.
The California-born debuted in the major league on June 18, 1969, playing for the Kansas City Royals.
The catcher played for Kansas City Royals (1969-1971, 1973-1977), Milwaukee Brewers (1978-1980), and Toronto Blue Jays (1981-1986) in his 17-season career.
After retiring, he started his career in broadcasting as a color analyst for Toronto Blue Jays in 1987.
Moreover, the former baseball player was the manager of the Blue Jays (2001-200) and Team USA in 2006.
Buck Martinez Wife, Arlene
The former player Buck Martinez has been married to his wife Arlene for over 49 years.
Buck met his future wife on a beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1971. He was there for the Puerto Rican Winter League while Arlene was on vacation with a friend after graduating high school.
They went on a dinner date after Martinez finished the game at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
However, they didn’t communicate for three years, even after exchanging phone numbers.
But fate intervened, and they met again in 1974 and started dating. After dating for a year, Buck proposed to her in Boston Commons at the swan boats.
The pair then exchanged their wedding vows in Kansas City on July 14, 1975, and have supported each other through thick and thin to this day.
In 1986, when Buck was a free agent, he wanted to continue his playing career and discarded the invitation to be part of the broadcasting team of the Blue Jays.
Later he disclosed that his wife convinced him to accept the job.
Arlene motivated his career change into broadcasting after a leg injury impacted his performance.
The Couple Share A Son
Buck Martinez and his wife, Arlene, welcomed their son, Casey J. Martinez, on August 31, 1977.
Like his father, Casey also played baseball as a catcher. He played collegiate baseball for the California State University.
The Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 47th round of the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft.
Unfortunately, he did not get to feature in the major league but played many seasons in the minor leagues, including AAA, AA, etc.
Reportedly, he is not married to Jennifer and has three kids.
Cancer Survivor
On April 17, 2022, he announced he would take a leave of absence while undergoing cancer treatment.
Buck started his six weeks of proton therapy and chemotherapy at MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center.
Martinez spoke highly of his care team and credited them for his well-being. He also encourages everyone with similar conditions to visit MD Anderson.
He returned to Florida to recover after his last treatment on June 28.
Buck then announced his return to Sportsnet as a broadcaster on July 26, 2022, and thanked everyone for their immense support in his fight against cancer.
