DENISON, Texas (KTEN) — Long before Fergie Jenkins ever toed the rubber in Arlington, he joined his first team north of the border. 

"I was a Cub Scout and then a Scout, and ended up earning my Queen's Scout badge when I was 14 years old," he said.

As this Canadian Scout grew and began striking out hitters at the highest level,  he eventually made his way to baseball's most hallowed hall in Cooperstown.

"I played against some of the best players that ever played the game," Jenkins said. "You name the player, and I got to play against them."

His Hall of Fame career began playing catch with his father, which sparked a passion that would take him around the world.

"He had told me how much fun he had playing baseball in Canada and to the United States," Jenkins said. "And as a kid 15, 16 years old, I kind of convinced myself to be a professional."

As the former Texas Rangers great looks back on what it took to make it to the bigs, he leans on the core values he learned from his original team. 

"As a ball player, you have to be on time. You have to be tolerant. You got to trustworthy. You got to be a good teammate. You got to be a good sportsman," he said.

On Thursday, Jenkins, 80, was the keynote speaker for Circle Ten Council's fundraiser in Denison. 

"It gives kids an opportunity to build friendships with other kids where they can have experiences and they can thrive, and they can thrive in a safe environment and just be kids," said Circle Ten Council CEO Sam Thompson said. 

The event raised $41,000 for Scouts in the Texoma Valley District.