TORONTO — As the World Series returns north of the border for the first time in 32 years, the Blue Jays and Major League Baseball are making sure the entire community gets in on the celebration.
Ahead of Friday night’s Game 1 against the Dodgers, MLB, the Blue Jays and the Jays Care Foundation launched a Fall Classic Legacy Initiative, announcing a $50,000 investment in Variety Village Challenger Baseball. The event brought together the Challenger Baseball athletes for a “World Series Game” of their own before the first pitch at Rogers Centre.
The athletes were joined on the diamond by former MLB stars and Commissioner’s Ambassador Program (CAP) members Adam Jones, Nick Swisher, Justin Upton, Jason Kendall, Michael Bourn and Jeremy Guthrie, along with Kevin Pillar — a fan favorite in Toronto for six-plus seasons. Before the action got underway, everyone took part in a special rendition of “OK Blue Jays” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” with Blue Jays mascot ACE.
Also on hand were April Brown, MLB’s senior vice president of social responsibility; Peter King, the executive director of the Jays Care Foundation; and Charlie Johnstone, Variety Village’s president & chief executive officer.
“What’s incredibly special about this particular initiative is that it’s Challenger Baseball, and that’s one of the values of Major League Baseball and all of our clubs,” Brown said. “So whenever we can do even more for youth who want to play our game and who have special needs and need special adaptations to be able to, it makes it that much more special, because we’re able to meet their needs and really pour into their love for the game.”
A Toronto community hub for more than 70 years, Variety Village provides accessible programming for all ages and abilities. Its long-standing partnership with Jays Care has led to the construction of multiple accessible baseball fields — including the one at Variety Village’s main facility, where Jays Care and MLB unveiled their latest investment on Friday.
“When we were informed by MLB about the Legacy Initiative and that we would need to pick a partner, there was no other partner in my mind,” King said. “You see how special it is for the kids that come through those doors every day and the experience they get to have. Whether it’s participating in sport or being part of a team, it brings a smile to not only the athlete’s face, but to their family as they watch their children go out and participate.”
A major hit among the athletes during Friday’s game was Pillar. A key member of the Blue Jays’ deep postseason runs in 2015 and ‘16, the former center fielder spent much of his time taking photos and signing autographs when he wasn’t mixed into the ballgame, waving runners around the bases.
During his time in Toronto, Pillar was a dedicated supporter of the Challenger Baseball program, so he was the perfect Blue Jays alumnus to lead the charge.
“It’s really fulfilling,” Pillar said of being involved in the community. “When you are kind of on this journey coming up to be a Major Leaguer, you think about all the things that you want to accomplish individually … but along the way you meet a lot of great people, you get [to be] part of great organizations and foundations and they show you the cool side of being a professional athlete.
“It’s being able to use your platform to come to events like this. And look at me. I’m an old, retired baseball player who does media now, and the fact I still get an opportunity to do this shows how much it means to me.”
While the Blue Jays are active in the local community and across the country year-round, Toronto’s World Series berth has brought a different kind of buzz from coast to coast — one that was palpable in the Variety Village fieldhouse and will be sure to stick with the athletes who participated well beyond Friday’s event.
“Any time you can partner with MLB and the Blue Jays, it’s awesome,” Johnstone said. “I think it’s that engagement with our community, the players and MLB players are enjoying it, that makes the energy so great for everyone. The Blue Jays are going to the World Series, and everyone’s excited about it.”
