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Unwritten Rules
Unwritten Rules is a blog about the things that exist in the grey areas of your favourite sport, the things that are wrong or go against the grain. That are assumed or learned. The blog will be free-form and wide-ranging, with reader feedback definitely appreciated. And as long as you don't want to talk about golf, "small-ball" or Nickelback, Jeff Blair may pop in online and chat.

Toronto Blue Jays' Aaron Hill falls to the ground after fouling a ball off his foot during fifth-inning interleague baseball action against the Philadelphia Phillies in Toronto on Sunday.

Sunday, June 28, 2009 6:44 PM

Jays fans should be embarrassed

That was embarrassing, Toronto Blue Jays fans.

Aaron Hill hit two home runs Sunday, in the process establishing a club record for HRs by a second baseman – he’s hit 19 in 358 plate appearances this season, bettering Roberto Alomar’s record of 17 in 683 plate appearances in 1993 – and while he received the usual round of applause that is an act that demanded a curtain call.

Any place but Toronto, it seems.

Look: I’ll never rag on people who won’t spend money to come out to the ballpark. Fans don’t cause attendance trouble; they reflect poor or unimaginative decisions by teams. Everybody makes value judgments every day about spending money, now more than ever. So I’ll never shake my head and wonder where the fans are.

But I don’t get this – you’ll go to the Rogers Centre and cheer your ass off for a free piece of pizza. You’ll boo Vernon Wells and Alex Rios at the drop of a hat (OK, you’re right. I get that … but you won’t boo John McDonald for an egregious base-running error?) Then you see history, stand up for a few seconds and then plunk your ass back down. Frankly? The Rogers Centre owes Aaron Hill a lengthy ovation tonight. You should have been stuffing and texting All-Star votes for him like crazy but it’s too late now. Make him step out of the batter’s box and doff his helmet. This guy is a special player having a special year. Hell, pretend the Maple Leafs have just successfully killed off a penalty if you can’t figure out how to do it ...

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Jeff Blair

Jeff Blair is a general sports columnist with the Globe and Mail and previously worked at the Montreal Gazette, Calgary Herald and Winnipeg Free Press. You can also follow him on Twitter at @GloBlair.

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