The Blue Jays Are Hatched.

Thursday April 7, 1977 started out a very sunny, mild and beautiful spring day in the city of Toronto. I remember this because I was starting my first job on that day and I had to miss school. I walked about a half mile from my apartment over to Dufferin Street; I then took the Dufferin bus southbound as far as it went down to the Exhibition grounds on the shores of Lake Ontario. I walked another half mile or so until I finally arrived at Exhibition Stadium.

I was not at all familiar with this part of the city and I had literally walked around the complete stadium before I finally arrived at gate 10 on the south side. There were a lot of teenagers like myself hanging around when I arrived. There was also a few much older men and it seemed like everyone but me was smoking. I knew nobody and I felt like I was the only one there that day without a friend or someone I knew.

A large overweight man named Alfie came to the door. He explained that only people with passes would be vendors. I did not have a pass and I didn't even know how to get a pass, but I was determined I was going to be a vendor on that day.

I inquired as to where I could get a pass.

“You have to go to the Versa Foods office and I don’t think they will be able to help you, we have enough people already” I was told by the fat man. He told me the office was over at the north end of the stadium so I went for another stroll. I walked into the office and excused myself. 

“I need a pass to work as a vendor," I said. 

Because I had come all the way down on the bus, took the day off school and I had made the extra effort to actually get the pass, they made me a pass.

My perseverance paid off.

I was handed my own plastic white credit card like pass with my name on it. The pass would be my very own season ticket and today was the first ever game for the Toronto Blue Jays. I would now be a part of history, but first another stroll back to gate 10. By the time I arrived almost everyone had disappeared. I walked up the stairs where I was handed an orange smock with a numbered badge. I forget what my number was, but I was ready and eager to sell whatever they wanted me to sell.

On this day opening day, it would be hot dogs. 

They say you never forget your first time and I had never been inside a stadium before. I followed the rays of sunlight flooding the grey concrete walkway from the vendor’s room. It was the brand new artificial turf that I remember the most. It was so green and looked like a gigantic green carpet. Other than the fact it was green, it did not resemble natural grass in any way.

There were Chicago White Sox baseball players just milling about. Some players were tossing soft while others were throwing hard. A player was inside a large batting cage hitting balls slowly pitched to him from a potbellied coach standing behind a fence partition. Outfielders that were three hundred feet away would trot over and snag the balls before they hit the new turf. Many of the balls would clear the fence bouncing around in the cheaper bleacher seats. They were destined to become historic mementos for some of the fans that would be arriving an hour later.

I vividly remember the sound of the ball hitting the bat; it was a different sound, a unique sound. My first impression of baseball was it seemed to be a very non-strenuous sport, a sweatless sport and more of a pastime. Could it ever become Canada’s favorite pastime like it was in America?

I guess time would tell.

I went back to the vendor’s room and within the hour I was now in the stands selling foil wrapped hot dogs out of my big orange Coleman cooler. I was exchanging money and handing out packets of mustard, relish and ketchup like I had been doing it all my life. All of a sudden and without warning the sky got black and the temperature got much colder. It was like some great Armageddon was fast approaching and within minutes it started to fuck'n snow.

Hot dog sales were now very brisk and the tips were plenty. I was trolling the expensive seats right behind home plate and around the dugouts. There was just so much excitement in the air. We were allowed to sell anywhere we wanted, but for that first game I stayed as close to the action as possible and I stayed very close to the expensive seats.

I had remembered to take my hat off and be quiet for the American anthem. I was so excited I forgot that two anthems would be sung and in between anthems I began barking out attention to my overpriced hot dogs.

“Hot dogs! Hot dogs! Who wants a hot dog?” I shouted.

Within seconds Anne Murray began singing Oh Canada.

Oops! 

Error on the vendor right under the announcer’s booth behind home plate. Talk about one of your life's embarrassing moments.

The umpires were introduced and the Blue Jays took to the field. The Blue Jay's PA announcer introduced the players “Ladies and Gentlemen here are your Toronto Blue Jays, at first base… 

...and pitching for your Toronto Blue Jays, number forty-eight Bill Singer."

A Chicago White Sox player walked up to the home plate. 

“Play Ball!” I heard the umpire shout. 

The first historic pitch by Singer was a high fastball for a strike. I bet even if it had been a ball I think the ump still would have called the first ever pitch a strike. The pitch was right down the middle, a fastball for sure. Now back to the kitchen for another cooler of hot dogs and another commission ticket for me. The snow eventually stopped and the skies cleared up, but the temperature remained cold. I worked until the eighth inning and I could not even estimate the hundreds of stairs I climbed on that day.

The Blue Jays won 9-5 and after my first ever day of work, I was dog tired. 

(Nice pun eh?)

The best thing about being a vendor was you made money while working in a big league sports atmosphere. Less than a hundred people in Toronto were given this opportunity. I stuck with that first job for the first season and well into the second until I started working full-time. For some games the money I earned was next to nothing and I would eat all my earnings before I even got back home. After other games during the CNE, I blew all my earnings at the Exhibition Midway. I would be trying to double my money betting on the Crown & Anchor wheel before the long bus ride home. 

I never did.

That first game was very memorable and will always be remembered by everyone who was lucky to attend.

I too was at the first ever Blue Jays game and I had witnessed history in the making. It is one of those events that a million people will say they were at. I have no ticket stub or program to prove I was there. Although, I am sure if you listen close enough to the game tape you should be able to hear some clown barking out "Who wants a hot dog?" in between the two anthems.

That clown was me.