Giancarlo Di Peco
Toronto Mayor John Tory helps raise the Blue Jays flag at City Hall. (Photo/Andy Redding)
The Toronto Blue Jays are in playoff contention for the first time in 22 years, and city hall is providing a place for fans to watch the game
Game 1 between the Jays and the Texas Rangers was played on a 6-meter screen at Nathan Philips square Thursday afternoon.
“It’s great to party in the square,” Andrew Rose, a construction worker setting up the LED screen said. “We’re going to win, no doubt.”
Blue Jays fever has reached fans from across the country as diehards are coming from long distances to watch the game.
“I’m in from Calgary,” Connor Norman said. “I had some family stuff going on but I stayed a little longer so I can catch the games, I’m absolutely thrilled.”
Jason Saunders, a carpenter from Halifax, was heading to the Rogers Centre with friends.
“As you look across the country, there [are] a whole lot of Blue Jays’ jerseys being dusted off and worn around town,” Saunders said. “Blue Jays 4-1,” Saunders said. “David Price will give up a solo home run in the 5th inning but other than that the Jays will shut them down.”
“I am going to tomorrow’s Game 2 with some of my friends who flew in from Chicago,” Richard Moran said. “I think it’s amazing, people have been starved for a championship caliber team.”
As fans began to fill up the square, they seemed to exude a certain amount of confidence for the result of the game.
“We should win, we’re World Series favourites right now,” restaurant owner Stewart Ibrahim said. “Today’s going to be tough. We’re facing the guy [Yovanni Gallardo] that kills us, but it should be something like 3-2 Jays.”
Councillor Rob Ford is showing support for the team at his Toronto City Hall office. (Photo/Giancarlo Di Peco)