Remembering the 1985 Blue Jays 30 years later: Part 1

                The year 2015 marks the 30^th Anniversary of the Toronto Blue Jays' first division title and postseason appearance. It was the first of five appearances in the playoffs in the next nine seasons. The Jays were a consistent contender throughout most of the eighties but they never had quite enough to put it all together and win a World Series Championship. That would finally come in the early nineties with back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993.

                The 1985 team will always hold a special place in my heart, and despite the two Championships that would come later, is still my favourite team in franchise history. This was the team that I lived and died with as a nine year old. For me, the ’85 Jays turned baseball from a sport into my passion that has developed—and continues to develop—over thirty years.

                In honour of that team, I have written a five-part series dedicated to their season: the highs and lows, the glory and the pain, the ecstasy and the disappointments. It was a roller coaster of emotions for the Jays and their fans, and especially for the nine-year old who discovered the great game of baseball.

Part 1: A 9-Year Old Falls In Love

                I don’t have a lot of memories of the first half of the season, as it has been thirty years since it happened but I will share what I do remember.

                I remember my family going to visit my Aunt and Uncle at their cottage somewhere near Peterborough near the end of June. Unfortunately, the most important event of that weekend was learning of the death of my maternal grandmother, who lived in Australia and I had never met, and only spoken to on the phone once.

                On the Monday morning, I was having breakfast with my brothers when I heard my Dad and Uncle talking about the Jays beating the Detroit Tigers 6-5 to take a three and a half game lead in the American League East over the Tigers.

                Turns out the Jays and Yankees, who would eventually challenge the Jays for the title later in the season, were about to meet in a three-game series starting that Monday. Wanting to join in the conversation, as I was just starting to become more familiar with the game, I said, “Well, the Jays better win.”

                “You got that right, fella,” my Uncle said right away.

                The Jays only won one of the three games, but kept their lead in the division.

                Throughout the summer, I would follow the Jays as much as I could. Back in those days, they weren’t on television every night like they are now. We would get a game usually on Sunday afternoons and most Wednesday nights, all on the CTV network. Don Chevrier was the play-by-play guy, while former Yankee shortstop, Tony Kubek, was the analyst (colour commentator in those days) and Fergie Oliver hosted.

                The rest of the games I would follow on the radio, and I would get to know the two voices that would define the rest of my childhood: Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth.

                Tom had been calling Blue Jays games since 1977 and would do so until 2005, when he was struck with a brain tumour that eventually caused his death. Jerry joined Tom in the broadcast booth in 1981 and is still calling the games today.

                Being nine years old, my bed time was before the Jays’ games ended. Their home games started at 7:30 in those days, and were usually over by 10:30. My bed time was nine o’clock, but that wasn’t going to stop me from following the action.

                After saying goodnight to my parents, I would lie in bed for about five minutes before getting up and turning on the radio to catch the end of the game, with the volume turned way down low so no one would hear it. Every time I heard one of my parents coming down the hall, I would turn the volume down (I couldn’t turn the radio off because the speakers popped every time.) "I had to go to the bathroom" would be my story if they opened the door and saw me out of bed. Only happened once that I can recall.

                This would be my routine from July, right through to the middle of October, unless the Jays were on the West Coast.

                During those days, the Jays played their home games at Exhibition Stadium, located pretty much in the same spot where BMO Field is today, on the Exhibition grounds. The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE or The Ex) is held in Toronto every year usually from the middle of August until Labour Day Weekend. A ticket to the game would get you into The Ex for free. The best way I can describe The Ex is a glorified county fair. Lots of food, games, rides and fun.

                I remember watching the games on TV during The Ex. Now, Exhibition Stadium had this quirk about it (well, it actually had a lot of quirks about it). There was a gap between the end of the bleachers down the left field line and the beginning of the North Grand Stand in the outfield. While The Ex was on, when they showed the camera angle from behind first base, you could see some of the rides in the background. Every year I saw that, I looked forward to the day my Blue Jay ticket would get me in the Exhibition for free. Never happened.

View of Exhibition Stadium from beyond the right field fence.
In the background, notice the gap between the
left field seats and North Grandstand I referred to.

                August ended on a Saturday, and The Ex on the following Monday with the Jays beating the Cleveland Indians behind pitcher Dave Stieb--the David Price of the Jays’ rotation in the eighties. They held a four-game lead atop the division over the Yankees, with the Tigers fading fast at eleven and a half games out.

                I would enter Grade 4 the following day, and my summer long indoctrination into becoming a Jays fan would be turned up a notch. I was about to be introduced to a teacher who was as passionate about the Blue Jays as any adult I had ever met.      

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook