No summer in Toronto is complete without attending a Blue Jays game. As Canada’s only Major League Baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays are beloved by our city and the country as a whole. The Rogers Centre (or Skydome for the OGs) is an iconic piece of Toronto real estate and a fun venue to catch a game. But, have you ever wondered about the history behind Toronto’s baseball team and the stadium they play in? Well, let’s go way back and take a look!
History Of The Toronto Blue Jays
In 1976, the Toronto Blue Jays joined Major League Baseball’s (MLB’s) American League along with the Seattle Mariners. This was part of the 1977 MLB expansion. Toronto had previously been home to the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team that was a part of the International League, until 1967.
From Giants To Jays
Originally, Toronto was supposed to buy the San Francisco Giants, move them to Toronto, and call them the Toronto Giants. However, the U.S. courts ruled against moving the Giants to Toronto. The push and desire for a MLB team in Toronto persisted and the Jays were born in 1976.
Blue Jays: What’s In A Name?
There are two theories on how Toronto’s baseball team achieved their name. The first theory is that the team ran a “name the team” contest and received over 4,000 entries. An entry from a doctor in Etobicoke was selected as the grand prize winner, in which he chose The Toronto Blue Jays as the name. The second theory is that the name was given to the team by Labatt Breweries who was the majority owner of the time. The thought is that the “Blue” in Blue Jays would be an excellent tie-in with the Labatt “Blue” brand.
Exhibition Stadium
The city of Toronto had already approved to enlarge Exhibition Stadium on the CNE grounds in anticipation of buying the San Francisco Giants. When that deal fell through, they were ready for an MLB team, and thus, became the home of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays played their first game there against the Chicago White Sox on April 7, 1977. Snow covered the field that day.
The city approved a $15 million bond to enlarge the stadium to be suitable for an MLB team although it still mostly resembled a football stadium. Exhibition Stadium could hold over 44,000 fans and the surface was astroturf. The stadium opened in April 1977 and closed in May 1989. It was demolished in 1999.
The SkyDome (Rogers Centre)
Toronto real estate agents and developers were ecstatic when they learned a new baseball stadium was being built as the home of the Blue Jays. Even more exciting was the fact that the building was to be the first retractable roof stadium. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in October 1986 and the stadium held it’s grand opening in June 1989. With participation from the public, the stadium was named Skydome in 1987.
The SkyDome was an architecturally impressive baseball stadium upon it’s opening as it was the first to have a retractable roof. This allowed the stadium to host events year round, regardless of the weather conditions. The Toronto Blue Jays played their debut game at the SkyDome on June 5, 1989 to a crowd of over 51,000. Besides the retractable roof, the stadium boasted other unique features such as having a hotel in which some rooms overlooked the playing field, an enormous videoboard, and moveable lower-level seats.
In 2005, Rogers Communications purchased the stadium and renamed it the Rogers Centre.
Prior to the 2023 season, the Rogers Centre began work on a $300 million project that will beautify the stadium. The first portion of the project focused on enhancing the outfield with new seating, social spaces, bars, and patios. Also, raised bullpens surrounded by bleachers were installed.
Toronto + The Blue Jays: A Winning Combination
The Toronto Blue Jays have been a successful MLB franchise. Throughout the years, they have had their ups and downs but overall, the Blue Jays in Toronto have been a winning combination. Their history entails:
1985: First American League (AL) East title
1989: AL East title winners
1991: AL East title winners
1992: World Series champions
1993: World Series champions
2015: AL East title winners
2016: Wild Card winners
So when you take yourself out to a ball game at Rogers Centre or just happen to be downtown and walk by the stadium, consider the great history of the team and the building. As renovations continue to enhance the Rogers Centre after the 2023 season, we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for our beloved Blue Jays.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Toronto_Blue_Jays
https://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/ballparks/exhibition-stadium/
https://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/ballparks/rogers-centre/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Blue_Jays
