This Day in History: The Blue Jays are Born
April 7, 1977 marked the first game in Toronto Blue Jays history. Almost 44 years later, the team is still going strong and making a name for itself in Major League Baseball. But what was it like when the team first started playing? Let's take a look back at that first game and explore how it impacted baseball in Canada.
The Beginning of a Legacy
On April 7, 1977, the Toronto Blue Jays took to the diamond for their inaugural season opener against the Chicago White Sox at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. It was an exciting time for baseball fans as they watched history unfold before their eyes. The Blue Jays won their inaugural game 9-5, with Doug Ault hitting two homers as the main highlight. This win set the tone for years to come and gave hope to Canadian baseball fans that the country could have its own successful team.
The Impact on Baseball in Canada
The first Blue Jays game had an undeniable impact on baseball in Canada and helped make it one of the most popular sports in the country today. Before this game, there was only one Canadian team, the Montreal Expos (which eventually moved to Washington) in Major League Baseball. With the addition of Toronto, there was now a team in the American League that could represent Canadian baseball. This drew more attention to Canadian teams and put them on par with American baseball teams, which was a huge step forward for all Canadians who followed sports closely or even casually.
The Rise of Collectors Items
Another major side effect of this event was that it created a huge market for memorabilia from that day forward. Fans who attended or watched that historic first game had something tangible they could remember it by—and they were more than happy to pay big money to get souvenirs from that momentous occasion. To this day, items related to this event are highly sought after collectors items among hardcore fans and memorabilia hunters alike!
The historic first Toronto Blue Jays game on April 7th 1977 marked a turning point for Major League Baseball in Canada. It opened up new opportunities for memorabilia collecting as those who attended or watched this momentous occasion wanted something tangible to remember it by - leading to collector’s items such as balls signed by the team, tickets from opening night or limited edition pins becoming highly sought after amongst both hardcore fans and memorabilia hunters alike! All these years later we can still feel the reverberations from this iconic event - one which will forever be remembered as an important milestone in Canadian sports history!