On Oct. 24, 1992, the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves to win their first World Series. To mark the 20th anniversary of the historic victory, we asked readers to share their memories of the big win. Here are some of them. Add your own in the comments section.
I was in Grade 10 and was working as a dishwasher at Red Lobster in Oakville. We were listening to the game on the radio in the kitchen, and my shift (thankfully) ended at 8 p.m. My buddy Claudio picked me up and we drove straight to SkyDome, listening to the game on AM radio. We heard Joe Carter's homerun on the Gardiner, and by the time we pulled in to Spadina, the streets were littered with people and we were stuck firmly in place. We rolled down our windows and spent the next two hours high-fiving people on the street.
Nick Lewis, Vancouver
I was in Toronto, watching the game on TV at home with my family. I was 16. I went to the first ever Blue Jays game in the snow as a 1 year old with my father, my best friend (also 1), and her father. My friend moved to Edmonton when we were 7, but we remained close. Moments after the Jays won the Series our phone rang – it was my friend and her father calling to celebrate from across the country.
Laura Barnett, Ottawa
I was in Toronto from Newfoundland for a work conference and that night was at a bar on King Street with a friend who attended Ryerson and a bunch of her buddies. When the last out was made by Timlin and Carter, we all high-fived, hugged and jumped for joy. We spent the next two hours singing O Canada and high fiving with strangers up and down Yonge Street. I will always remember the guy with the expensive BMW in the middle of Yonge street with people walking over his car and he was smiling.
Sheldon Quinton, St. John's
I was at a house party in Yorkton, Sask., and I had a magnum of champagne "just in case." We were watching the game on TV in the basement, and with two out in the bottom of the 9 , I went upstairs to get the bottle. I popped the cork at about the same time that Atlanta tied the game, so we waited. Yes, we got to drink it a bit later that night, but for a while I was worried that I would be remembered as the reason why the Jays lost. As fate would have it, the team absolved me of that faux pas.
Ken Pilon, Regina
I was at a wedding reception in Stratford, Ont. Everyone was huddled around a small TV that someone had found in a back room...well, almost everyone. Despite being a huge baseball fan, I was also a huge fan of attractive, intelligent women, so when a friend of a friend asked me to dance, I accepted. The song ended just in time for us to see Joltin' Joe jumping up and down on first base. My wife and I are going out to a nice restaurant this week to celebrate what I call "the TSN Turning Point" in my life...the day we met and the day the Jays won their first World Series.
Scott Martin, Ayr, Ont.
I watched the game on the Jumbotron at the SkyDome. Organizers allowed entrants for a canned food donation. We all streamed onto the field after Joe Carter delivered the fatal, fantastic blow. I went straight to left field (Carter's defensive position), knelt down and bowed to our hero (I was only 17 at the time, so forgive the melodrama). It was a great day for Toronto and all of Canada. One I'll never forget.
Matt Muirhead, Ottawa
Me, my buddy and my dad went down to the SkyDome to watch the game on the Jumbotron. I was 13 years old and had never seen a crowd in such a frenzy. Throughout the game, the entire stadium mocked the Tomahawk Chop in perfect unison. When the final out came, I was beside myself. We walked up Yonge Street, high-fiving cops along the way. I can't remember so much civic pride in Toronto – we could sure do with a dose of it now.
Scott Dalgleish, Toronto
My wife and I were graduate students living in Ottawa, we didn't own a TV so we turned on the radio and sat in our small kitchen and watched it through our neigbour's window! After the Jays won, the entire apartment erupted and everyone ran out into the street and we met our neigbours!
Olaf Juergensen, Ottawa
I was at a good friend's house in Burlington for his birthday when Joe Carter hit that magical home run, and everyone in the house jumped up and down, screaming like wild things. My friend's two-year-old son, Tommy, was watching the game with us, and he burst into tears from all of the commotion. We had to pause in our celebrations to comfort him. It was sweet.
Alex Beamish, Toronto
I was at the game in Atlanta (sitting behind the Atlanta bull pen). I knew I had good seats as Don Chevrier was sitting behind me! Earlier in the day, my sister (who came with me) and I met Cito Gaston in the hotel lobby. As thrilling as it was to see Joe Carter's home run live a year later, Game 6 in 1992 beats it for me. There is only one first time.
Douglas Hancock, Mississauga
Growing up in Ottawa, I was in Hull, Que., that night celebrating my birthday. I remember they technically won it on Oct. 25, since the game went past midnight. I thought that was particularly nice of the Blue Jays to wait until it was my actual birthday before winning it!
Paul Levia, Montreal
I was only 8 years old but remember that day like it was yesterday. I was with my family, gathered around the TV set at a family friend's house with about 20 other people. We were nervous as it was a tight game the whole way. But when Otis Nixon bunted right to Mike Timlin who then threw to first base for the out, we were jubilated. It's a moment I'll never forget. It's definitely a feeling this city needs once again!
Hassan Ahmad, Toronto
I was only 12 and watched the game at a friend's house in Thornhill. When they won, her parents drove us downtown to celebrate in the streets in front of the SkyDome! What an exciting experience!!
Lauren Guluk, Toronto
I was in Grade 10 and in class in Mississauga. What I remember is skipping classes the rest of the day to head downtown for the victory celebration. We made our way downtown using the free GO Train service honouring the win for the day.
Lisa Cockerill, Burlington, Ont.