Philadelphia doesn't usually pay too much attention to Canada except for the NHL and the occasional Raptors game. So a Canadian Heritage Celebration with the Philadelphia Phillies with the Toronto Blue Jays in town was a nice treat.
The first 500 fans to the game Wednesday night received a Matt Stairs jersey with Phillies-themed skates. Stairs, the pride of Fredericton, NB, played for the Phillies at the tail end of 2008 and 2009. Stairs is best remembered in the City of Brotherly Love for his pinch-hit home run in the 8th inning of Game 4 in the 2008 National League Championship Series. He also played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Montréal Expos among many teams. Stairs is a 2015 inductee into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Stairs, now the club’s TV colour analyst, threw out the first pitch.
The Barenaked Ladies reportedly were involved in the celebration though we could only find a single story.
The idea of pinpointing Canadian food is difficult even for Canadians. The Phillies gave it a shot and this was the result.
Caribou stew is a popular Canadian favourite (sarcasm). The Toronto swordfish, caught in the waters of Lake Ontario just off the Toronto islands is a local delicacy (double sarcasm). Chicken fingers are definitely North American.
Poutine, butter chicken, and ketchup chips would have been appropriate concessions.
The Blue Jays helped out the celebration before 24,753 fans with a rousing 7-2 win over Philadelphia Wednesday night. As for actual Canadians in the game, Russell Martin went 0-for-1 with a run scored and a RBI. Michael Saunders, who is day-to-day, was announced as a pinch-hitter but had a pinch-hitter for him instead.
No current Philadelphia Phillies are Canadian. The team has had its share of Canadian players, such as Rheal Cormier and Pete Orr. And long-time Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay finished his career in Philadelphia. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin did play 3 seasons for the Montréal Expos from 1975-1977 and was the Expos third base coach from 1997-2000.
Canadians shouldn't let the Phillies relative love for Canada go to their head. The Phillies are celebrating a bunch of identities this season, including Irish, Greek, Italian, Jewish, and Latino nights. The team is also celebrating Star Wars.
I do recall being in Safeco Field when the Toronto Blue Jays were in town on Canada Day 2008 and the Seattle Mariners having some acknowledgment of Canada. There were definitely a lot of Canadians in the crowd that night, Blue Jays fans working their way down from British Columbia.
This Canadian Heritage event would have gone over really well in 2010 when MLB Commissioner Bud Selig forced the Blue Jays to play 3 home games in Philadelphia during the G20 summit in Toronto.
G20 summit forces Toronto Blue Jays to Philadelphia; Why not go to Montréal?
Pat Hentgen, Dennis Martinez lead Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame 2016 class
CanadianCrossing.com MLB coverage
Speaking of the Expos and Canadian baseball, the class of 2016 will be inducted tomorrow at St. Mary's, Ontario, at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Hurlers Pat Hentgen and Dennis Martinez will be honored along with broadcaster Tony Kubek, long-time Blue Jays employee Howard Starkman, minor-league outfielder and scout Wayne Norton, and historical figure William Shuttlesworth.
photos credit: Philadelphia Phillies/Instagram; Twitter @ArdenZwelling; Philadelphia Phillies
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