Page 6 - Nov-Dec 2025 REPORTER

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

IGNITING THE PASSION

IN CANADA

TREVOR SMALL
LBMAO President

s I sit here in late October everyone has got a fever. The fever is field, but we didn’t care. We were there to watch the Jays beat the
Athe Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series quest. Walking through the big, bad Oakland A’s. Our 1992 World Series tickets were in the 500
airport on my way home from the Hardlines Conference, picking up level – close to the roof. We had no kids at the time. We were young,
groceries or getting gas at the gas station – everyone has Blue Jays loud, crazy passionate fans. We even painted our faces. Much like
gear on. This team has become the watercooler talk of the entire the WestJet commercial, that paint was hard to remove. We cheered
country. There is an excitement and a passion for baseball that I have the Blue Jays on to victory vs the Atlanta Braves. I remember my ears
not seen for years. ringing for hours after the game ended.
I was around for the Blue Jays’ previous two world series victories. This year the passion is different. Maybe it is the fact that I am
My wife and I are big baseball fans. Our second ever date, forty years older, less loud, and maybe a bit less crazy. Have I matured? My wife
ago, was to a Blue Jays game. We went with another couple, who are would say no, but some things are different. I still have the passion.
now my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, and though my sister-in-law We had tickets to the wild card series if the Jays had not won their
got sick in back of my car, I still continued to date Krista and enjoy division. We also had tickets to game 5 of the series vs the Yankees
baseball. While that was the last game we attended with those two, but they clinched in four games. My fandom was more muted when
we have remained baseball fans, going to a number of games this it came to this years World Series tickets. I was not able to get tickets
year. from Ticket Master. I was in the queue, unfortunately there was
This newfound passion is a very recent development. The games 39,122 people ahead of me. By the time I got to the front of the line
we went to early in the season had small crowds and it was easy to – all regular priced tickets were gone, and those $20 standing room
get tickets. We had found that with the renovations at the Rogers seats were selling for $1666 each. I passed. Was my passion gone? Or
Centre over the past two years, we really enjoyed the general did the common sense that comes with age kick in?
admission area. The $20 tickets (read standing room only) were a My kids were born after the Jays’ last world series run. My
great deal. We could find a place to watch, just above the Blue Jays daughter, who did attend the Jose Bautista bat flip series in 2015, is
bull pen. It had a shelf we could lean on, place our popcorn and our now paying attention to the Jays again. Passion reignited. I love to see
beverage of choice. We enjoyed the vibe there. The view was great, how the generation which was not part of the World Series fever in
looking right in on the batters and still able see the entire field. 1992 and 1993 now has picked up where I may have left off.
Our past playoff experience was incredible. After the heartbreak My hope is that we can build on this national passion and apply
of watching the 1991 Minnesota Twins beat the Jays in the American it to the Winter Olympics in Italy. The country is divided. Left vs
League Championship, we felt the team was due. We attended each Right. East vs West. These opportunities for the entire country to
round of the 1992 playoffs. Thanksgiving Day in 1992 we left our come together don’t happen very often and let’s hope they last long
family turkey dinner to attend. The seats were bad, second row from enough for us all to remember what makes this country great.
the roof, directly beside the hotel. You could only see part of the

6 LBMAO Reporter - November-December 2025 www.lbmao.on.ca