Toronto Mayor John Tory declared that Oct. 27 would be Blue Jays Appreciation Day. In a statement at City Hall on Monday morning, Tory encouraged Toronto fans to wear blue and white to recognize the team as their 2015 season comes to an end. After the Blue Jays were eliminated from the playoffs in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against Kansas City, Tory publicly thanked the organization.
“This season, especially in the last half and in the playoff run, the Blue Jays made the city cheer, it made the city believe, it brought the city together as kind of one city,” he said.
Tory also recognized retiring Blue Jays President and CEO Paul Beeston, who began working with the Blue Jays in 1976 as the first employee.
“He has held every major role that one could hold in this organization and of course was an instrumental part of the team winning back-to-back World Series and in rebuilding themselves to become a contender once again this year,” said Tory. “To show the city’s appreciation for everything he has done over all those years as really the person that has been there for the Blue Jays all the way through, I will be presenting Mr. Beeston later this year with a key to the city.”
The Blue Jays general manager, Alex Anthopoulos, expressed his appreciation for the mayor’s decision to screen playoff games at the “Bird’s Nest” in Nathan Phillips Square. “I think it was great that he did that. That he had those games being watched. He seems like a great supporter of the team,” Anthopolous said to reporters.
Tory returned thanks to Anthopoulos and Blue Jays team manager John Gibbons for their hard work and efforts in the season. “Everybody was pulling for our team and sharing in the incredible highs and some of the lows.”
Tory’s vision of Blue Jays Appreciation Day includes wearing team colours and using social media to share memories of what this season meant to people in Toronto. “I hope that what we are going to do tomorrow will send a message to them especially just saying how much we love them and how much we appreciate everything they did,” he expressed on Monday.
The Blue Jays franchise has skyrocketed in popularity as the team broke the 21-year playoff drought this season. Anthopoulos thanked the fans and the country for coming together to support the team, saying, “It’s a credit to the interest level and the fans.”