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Believe it or not, tonight will be the very first meeting between the Dodgers and Giants in the postseason. They have been rivals for over 120 years, on two coasts, and have given us epic games with infamous dust-ups, but it’s never been quite like this – with postseason glory on the line. And yet, when the Dodgers and Giants were just making the move from New York back in ’50s, some wondered if the rivalry would be the same in California. Here’s what Roger Kahn had to say in the January, 1958 issue of SPORT: “The pennant race of 1951 [between the Dodgers and Giants, which ended in a best-of-3 play-in series, technically still part of the regular season] was a struggle built upon almost 60 years of baseball feuds and, no matter what happens next season, it is going to take a little while for the rivalry’s new roots to look like the old. But while there are Giants to play Dodgers, and partisan fans to care about what happens, there will be fireworks.” In the 60+ years since that move, these two teams have proved Mr. Kahn right; there have been fireworks. But there’s sure to be a heck of a lot more over the next few days! Want a recap of the Dodgers-Giants rivalry up to this point? Check out this great video by MLB Network!

Every year on April 17th, the sporting community comes together to celebrate the trailblazing achievements of Jackie Robinson, the man that broke Major League Baseball’s colour barrier. We’ve always taken part, whether online or in our galleries. I even got a Robinson tattoo late last year, based on one of our shots from the archive!  Celebrations of Robinson are always necessary; he’s that important to the game. But there are some other ballplayers from his era who went through the same experience, that don't get the same love. The big one is Larry Doby, who came into MLB only three months after Robinson, and who broke the same barrier in the American League.  Many thought initially that Doby himself might be the first Black player in MLB, he was that good. Originally from South Carolina, Doby spent his high school years in New Jersey. He was a four-sport star and received a basketball scholarship offer, but decided instead to join the local Negro Leagues team, the Newark Eagles. His time there was shortened by wartime service in the Navy, but Doby still had a chance to play Josh Gibson: My first time up, Josh [playing catcher] said, 'We're going to find out if you can hit a fastball.' I singled. Next time up, Josh said, 'We're going to find out if you can hit a curveball.' I singled. Third time up, Josh said, 'We're going to find out how you do after you're knocked down.' I popped up the first time after they knocked me down. The second time, I singled. In 1946, the Eagles beat Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro World Series. Doby was a stand out, collecting 5 RBIs and 3 steals alongside a .371 average. It’s clear he, and other players like Paige and Monte Irvin, were the real deal, no matter what league they might be in. Even still, Doby wasn’t optimistic: “I never dreamed that far ahead. Growing up in a segregated society, you couldn't have thought that that was the way it was going to be. There was no bright spot as far as looking at baseball until Mr. Robinson got the opportunity to play in Montreal in '46." But the call did come. Bill Veeck, the outside-the-box owner of the Cleveland Indians and later the White Sox, had his eyes on Doby. Unlike Jackie Robinson, who got a whole season in the Dodgers farm system to prepare for his MLB debut, Doby was kept with the Eagles until his time to start for Cleveland came. (Doby was actually the first to go directly from the Negro Leagues to MLB!) That day came: July 5, 1947. Veeck hired two police officers to protect his new, at-risk player, which they did, but most of Doby’s teammates wouldn’t even shake his hand upon first introduction.  The lack of preparation combined with the tepid response from his new teammates made for a sour cocktail, and Doby struggled; he had a .156 batting average over 29 games that season. But, given some time, the strong centerfielder made some noise. In ‘48 he put together a .301 average and snagged 66 RBIs in 121 games. Cleveland made it to the World Series that season, and Doby ended up as the team’s best hitter. He hit .318 overall, and in game four, became the first African-American to hit a home run in a World Series game. Back in the clubhouse after the final out, a photo was taken of Doby embracing with teammate Steve Gromek. According to Richard Goldstein of The New York Times, the photograph is "a signature moment in the integration of Major League Baseball.” Doby himself said “The picture was more rewarding and happy for me than actually hitting the home run. The picture finally showed a moment of a man showing his feelings for me." Cleveland would go on to win the series.  In 1950, Doby had his first of five seasons with more than 100 RBIs. He led the league with 126 in '54 and finished second in MVP voting. He was also an All-Star seven-straight times. In 1956, after nine seasons in Cleveland, Doby found himself on a new team in a new town: the White Sox, in Chicago. He had two more good seasons with the Pale Hose – crossing the RBI century mark one last time – before becoming increasingly affected by injuries. After bouncing between Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit (and Baltimore, for one Spring Training) to finish his 15-season MLB career, Doby contemplated minor league life with the AAA Toronto Maple Leafs, but injuries prevailed, and he retired. The universe did have Canada in the cards for Doby; he became a scout for the Expos in 1969 and then moved into a coaching role a couple of years later. Just as Robinson did when playing with the AAA Royals, Doby fell in love with Montreal. Though not perfect, Canada felt welcoming and inclusive compared to much of the United States at the time. He spent five years with the Expos in total, but decided to move on for his career. “Please let everyone in Montreal know that I feel just like I’m leaving home,” Doby said at the end.  With the hopes of becoming MLB’s first Black manager, Doby went back to where he felt most established: Cleveland. He served as first base coach for a year with the expectation that he was next in line for the skipper’s spot. But when it did become vacant, Frank Robinson was chosen instead. Obviously Doby would have been happy to see a Black man finally become an MLB manager, but he was also deeply hurt by not being picked. In the late ‘70s, Bill Veeck, now owner of the White Sox for a second time, came up big for Doby once again; he hired his former player as batting coach, and then, a season later, named Doby manager. “It's so nice to work for a man like Bill Veeck,” the new Sox skipper said. “You just work as hard as you can, and if the opportunity arises, you will certainly get the opportunity to fulfill your dreams.” He took that shot, becoming the second Black manager in MLB as a result. But, unfortunately, Doby’s time in the position didn’t last long – he got one partial season as skipper, putting a 37-50 record together in that time, and then Veeck moved him back to the batting coach role. You have to think that Doby deserved more time to bring the pieces together… that short spell would be his one and only.  After one last season coaching the Sox sluggers, Larry Doby left dugout life for good. He continued on in sport, though, becoming the (then-) New Jersey Nets’ director of communications and community affairs. In 1998, Doby finally made it to Cooperstown, and he received the news via a phone call from Ted Williams. “This is just a tremendous feeling,” Doby said. “It's kind of like a bale of cotton has been on your shoulders, and now it's off.” Today, Doby isn’t the household name that Jackie or even Frank Robinson is – the curse of coming second – but he certainly deserves to be. Doby went through the same challenges and suffered the same hurt. What he didn’t get was the same support, but the man played great baseball regardless, and did what no Cleveland player has done since: lead the team to a World Series trophy. So go on and spread the good word, folks, Larry Doby is a legend.

Baseball is finally here! The red-white-and-blue bunting has been dusted off and hung. The players – and, thankfully, some fans – are in the building. Hope abounds as we embark on this season’s marathon journey. In honour of this special time, here's a look at SPORT Magazine's baseball preview from 1952. Alvin Dark, "Symbol of the New York Giants," graces the cover.  Today, Dark is best known for taking over as manager for the World-Champion Oakland Athletics in 1973 and bringing them to glory two more times. Back in '52, though, the infielder was getting ready for his sixth season in the bigs and would get his second of three career All-Star nods that coming season. The Giants, still on the East Coast, were perennial National League favourites and often met the Yankees in the World Series. "Wild scrambles for both pennants and the fall of the defending champions are forecast for the coming season. There should be plenty of excitement! This coming season, more than any time since the war, most clubs are looking to a few prominent members to carry the load made unusually burdensome by the loss of players to the service and the scarcity of well-developed farmhands. The retirement of Joe DiMaggio and the recall to active service of Ted Williams are, of course, the most striking signs of the times." A closer look at the preview itself provides an interesting story; Major League Baseball in 1952, much like today, was going through a time of disruption and change. We’ve had the pandemic to contend with, but back then it was war.  As SPORT explains, some key players were lost to service or retirement, so the standouts that did remain were especially integral to their teams. There’s some brilliant colour head shots of these men, some of whom – like Stan Musial – you’ll definitely know. Others, not as much; Irv Noren, anyone? (A Washington Senator at the time, Noren hit .275 over ten years in the bigs and made one All-Star team.) Three former Negro League players – Roy Campanella, Monte Irvin, and Minnie Minoso – feature in the 16-player spread, five years after Jackie Robinson became the first. “Is there a better catcher than Campanella?” the writer asks. “He was picked as the National League’s MVP in 1951 and is our choice as the Dodgers’ most valuable member.” SPORT was a vocal supporter of integration in baseball, right from the start.  Also featured is Gil McDougald, a lesser-known Yankee that we’ve actually written about before. Prior to making New York’s roster, McDougald was a star for the Victoria (B.C.) Athletics! He’s almost certainly the only soul to have gone from Royal Athletic Park to Yankee Stadium, and to have made the cover of SPORT (earlier that year in March). Another piece in this issue of SPORT that sounds as if it could be printed today: “Baseball’s Road Show Must Go On.” In 1952, professional ballplayers were dealing with the wear and tear of Spring Training, which provided much more rudimentary comforts than today, and with regular railway travel between America’s East Coast and Midwestern cities. This was before aviation and wifi came into the mix.  "This is the way it is: The players ship most of their clothes home and live out of suitcases. They seldom see a real bed. In the gruelling series of one-afternoon stands, everything is done on the run [...] Sleeping, if any, is done in the berth of a train that lurches, rolls and jerks. Shaving is accomplished to the tempo of a moving train." Take this issue and apply it to 2021, though, and you feel the weight of the pandemic. One has sympathy for today’s players and how they must deal with quarantines, restrictions, and constant testing. They most likely won’t see their families for months, too. But, as in ‘52, the “show must go on.” *** Once all of the predictive analysis is done, all there’s left to do is study the summer schedule… You love to see the page bursting with games, just as it will do for the 2021 dates. Play ball!

You’ve probably never thought to notice, but try to think of the last time you watched a game of baseball that did not include at least one player with facial hair. You probably can’t, even if you’re weird and obsessive like me, because it hasn’t happened since the turn of the century.  Generally, in today’s society, facial hair is in. Men in hipster bars and boardrooms alike don beards. A man can wear long hair too, down brushing his shoulders or up in a bun. This follicle freedom didn’t start so recently, of course; hippy culture brought hair to the masses in the 1960s, and there have been times before that, at the end of the 19th century, say, where facial fuzz was en vogue. But the 2010s might be special in that men in more “professional” occupations have been free to grow, providing they’re well groomed.  Major League Baseball, however, currently has one team trying to upkeep more traditional values. The New York Yankees have long enforced an “appearance policy,” which instructs their coaches and players to keep their hair cropped and their faces clean. A tidy moustache is allowed, but that’s all. No beards, no matter how well groomed, and no long hair. When a hirsute player gets traded to the Yankees, he must shave and shear before taking the field.  This sounds crazy, and in today’s age it is, but it was more the norm than not for a long time. Listen to this: When the Oakland Athletics’ Reggie Jackson went into the 1972 season with a moustache, he was the first MLB player to do so since Wally Schang (who was also an A, incidentally) in 1914. That’s 58 years between!  Many players would let their hair grow in the offseason, but after Spring Training it always got shaved. MLB never had an official, league-wide rule requiring clean faces, it was just known to be preferred. And back then, before collective bargaining and the player’s association, the owners had all the power. It was better to not test the system. But, Mr. October, as he was not yet known, was never one to follow along. He knew he was special – a star – and wanted to stand out.  Initially, the A’s owner, Charles O. Finley, did not approve of his slugger’s ‘stache. Apparently he ordered the rest of his men to grow their hair out too, to make Jackson feel less special and therefore less inclined to see his growth as a stand-out feature. But, Finley, ever the profiteer, realized that there was money to be made here. With a whole team of moustachioed ballplayers he could market them as such, as a sight to behold. Plus, Finley was already making bold moves, like introducing baseball to all-yellow uniforms, and to a robotic rabbit ball-fetching machine. Moustaches weren’t so wild, all things considered.  The A’s did go forth, becoming the outcast rebels of baseball, and soon some made a point to stand their ground in opposition to the idea. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was the man behind their appearance policy, establishing it in the ‘70s. And the Cincinnati Reds had the same policy, unofficially. When the A’s and the Reds faced off in the 1972 World Series, the press dubbed it “the Hairs vs. the Squares.”  In the ‘60s, the Reds went so far as to remove the handlebar moustache from their mascot, Mr. Red, who wore one since his creation in 1953 as an ode to Cincinnati’s old-time baseball roots – a previous iteration of the Reds, the Red Legs, were the sport’s first professional side. Facial hair was in then (the 1880s), and so Mr. Red was given a curly, black moustache as a throwback salute. Eventually, this did not match the team itself, and so the mascot was reborn as a “square.”  Many other clubs followed the A’s lead, however, and pretty soon a moustache or beard was nothing to take note of in the Majors. Fast-forward to the present day and you’ll see all sorts of styles; bushy beards, “chin-straps,” goatees, and, yes, moustaches. Even Mr. Red has been freed from his no-hair prison – the mo’ is back.  The Yankees still make the news now and again for their continued hair policing. Most famously when Johnny Damon, who was known for his beard and long hair with the Red Sox, went to the Bronx and got sheared. Losing his signature hair was losing his soul – at least if you asked Sox fans. That was a while ago now, but you’ll still see some before/after content circulate when a player is traded to the Yankees.  But perhaps the most interesting development in this baseball-hair world has been Don Mattingly’s ideological turnaround. Now manager of the Marlins, Mattingly spent his entire playing career with the Yankees. He was known for his contempt of the grooming rule, frequently taking fines for his bushy moustache and long hair. But as a manager, Mattingly did a 180. In 2016 he implemented – you guessed it – a no-facial-hair policy. Even moustaches were banned. The rule breaker became the rule maker.  That lasted just the one season, at least. For whatever reason, Mattingly backed off. Maybe he realized that he had forgotten who he was deep down. Or, perhaps a few players pointed out the obvious: that telling grown men how to groom is an outdated move. Even the army now allows short beards. Whatever the case, Mattingly gave up, and the Yankees once again became the only team in baseball – in all of North American sports, really – with an appearance policy.   Lately, MLB has been trying to modernize in order to attract and keep younger athletes and fans. We Play Loud is the league’s new slogan. These days you will see bat flips, colourful cleats, gold chains, and… facial hair. In spite of complaints by old-timers who say this new generation is “disrespecting the game,” these changes are fun and have been building for a long time – just ask the Reggie and the A’s! ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For more stories on the A's "Moustache Gang," look to Jason Turbow's book Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic. This piece would not have been possible without it.

Baseball returned on March 28th as all 30 Major League teams took the field beneath the blue, white, and red Opening Day bunting. It's always a celebratory occasion, but this year there is some additional meaning: 2019 marks the 150th year of professional baseball. Way back in 1869 the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first "full-salaried" team, as MLB puts it.  Cincinnati is always a focal point of Opening Day because of its role in the game's founding. They get a prime-time day game, and there is a pre-game parade, usually attended by the league commissioner. There will also be some season-long celebrations. The Reds will wear 15 throwback uniforms this season, which has to be a record, and will also have a unique commemorative patch. All other teams will wear a "MLB 150" patch. The league's move in claiming the sesquicentennial is actually a bit deceiving – Major League Baseball has technically only been around since 1903. If you go with the National League, formed as its own entity but now part of MLB, you could consider the founding year to be 1876, 143 years ago. The anniversary that is being celebrated this year is not technically MLB's. But this is not a new thing, as they did celebrate the 100th and 125th anniversaries of professional baseball as their own as well. If we're being really factual, today's Reds franchise is also not technically playing their 150th season of professional ball. The team that was formed 150 years ago, the Red Stockings, disbanded before the 1871 season as they felt they could no longer pay for a professional side. A second Cincinnati team, the Reds, formed in 1876 as a charter member of the National League. This iteration would only last three seasons. That Reds' owner allowed use of the ballpark on Sundays and also served beer, two things the NL brass did not approve of. The Reds, refusing to budge, were tossed from the league. The third go, founded in 1881 as the Red Stockings, was the one that stuck.  It's all a bit confusing, and, yes, you can accuse me of nitpicking, but there you have it: neither the current-day Reds nor Major League Baseball have been around for 150 years. That being said, you can see why both establishments would celebrate the occasion. MLB is the highest level of the professional game so to mark year one, regardless of who was involved, makes sense. The Reds use the same name as their predecessor and still play in the same city, so why not?  The bigger issue is in the execution. Instead of saying "MLB 150" perhaps the league-wide anniversary patch could say "Pro Baseball 150." And for the Reds, the patch checks out, but most of the retro uniforms they'll be wearing would actually be better suited to the current franchise's 150th in 2031, since the Cincinnati team that played from 1869 to 1871 never wore them... The throwback to the 1869 uniform is, however, one that works this year.  I suppose it's better to remember the past incorrectly than to forget it all together. The baseball season gets gussied up a bit in the process, and the celebrations have been fun thus far, that's not the point of contention. But, going forward, for the sake of us super nerds – accuracy please! 

When out at a sporting event, there's certain songs you're bound to hear blasting from the jumbotron. "We Will Rock You," "Jump Around," and "YMCA" are major ones. The probing beat of The White Stripe's "Seven Nation Army" has been adopted by teams and their fanbases across the globe. Queen actually has two stadium hits, as what would a title win be without an emotional rendition of "We Are the Champions"? The running trait of all of these songs is their ability to excite a crowd and get them to believe in their team, in a moment of glory. Each delivers a succinct statement, and/or has a strong and repetitive rhythm. They make you want to sing or move or both. Interestingly, while this kind of composition quickly jumps out as a arena rocker, the lyrical content tends to not actually reference sports. There are relatively few songs out there that are dedicated to teams, athletes, or a sport. The big one, which most baseball fans will know, is "Centerfield" by John Fogerty. It's a catchy, classic-rock hit that speaks to the mystique of the national pastime and its language, stories, and stars. "Centerfield" also, in the chorus, appeals to every little-leaguer's desire to get on the field and play their part: "Put me in, coach, I'm ready to play." There's another baseball-themed song out there that's written by a major artist, though it's by no means as popular. Bob Dylan penned a tune titled "Catfish," which speaks of Jim Hunter's legend. Jim "Catfish" Hunter was one of the best pitchers of his era and was the first to sign a million-dollar contract, with the Yankees. Dylan's ode is captivating, but is more bluesy bootleg than catchy stadium rocker.  Hockey has inspired a few songs, and most are by Canadian artists, which isn't a surprise given the sport's popularity up north. Tom Cochrane's "Big League" is a powerful rock hit that still gets frequent airplay. The song is actually rather sad – it, from the perspective of a parent, tells of a talented player that dies in a bus crash before he can break it.  Canadian giants The Tragically Hip also have a hit that tells of a hockey tragedy. The verses of "Fifty Mission Cap" are a tribute to Toronto Maple Leaf Bill Barilko who died in a plane crash shortly after scoring the series-winning goal in the 1951 Stanley Cup Final. The song has become an all-time favourite for The Hip, though it doesn't have the pop sensibilities to be regularly played in hockey arenas.  Perhaps the most fun and charming, and therefore popular, song to be inspired by the game of hockey is "The Hockey Song" by Stompin' Tom Connors. It's a popular one at hockey arenas around the National Hockey League, including the Maple Leafs', where it is played every game. You may not be familiar with Stompin' Tom himself, but if you're a hockey fan you'll know the chorus: Oh! The good ol' hockey game, is the best game you can nameAnd the best game you can name, is the good ol' hockey game It's a honky-tonky, rollicking-good-time of a song that, like Fogerty's "Centerfield," really captures the essence of the subject matter. The crash of the boards, the "insane" fans, a last-minute winner, the Stanley Cup filled with beer... it's all jammed in there in just a couple of minutes. It's become hockey's theme song, and for good reason. To take us out, here's Stompin' Tom making the only U.S. TV appearance of his entire career, on the Conan O'Brian Show. 

If you were to attach a particular saying to Cubs' great Ernie Banks, it would certainly be "let's play two" – meaning, play back-to-back ballgames in a single day. The ever-smiling, affable Banks understood how lucky major leaguers are to play a child's game for a living. Why play one game when you could play two?  The doubleheader is unique to baseball; it would not be possible with any other sport. Hockey, basketball, and football are too taxing on the body to accommodate such a schedule. Baseball's more meandering pace allows for six-plus hours of it to be played in a single day. In fairness, doubleheaders are no longer a preplanned event – they were once commonplace, but now are usually the result of poor weather (when a game is rained out it's easy to bump it over to the following day before a night start). Still, they happen a handful of times in a season and are a long haul for those involved.  Nothing helps a team grab some momentum during the regular season like taking two games in a single day. The Blue Jays did it this season against the Royals, winning the first 11-3 and then 5-4 in extras. Having your record skip forward two happy steps is like gaining an extra day while travelling; it's as if you have one up on everybody else. Losing both games of a doubleheader results in utter dejection. Kick a man while he's down, why don't you. It feels much worse to lose two in one day than it does two in two, despite it being, in reality, the same thing numbers-wise. Go on to lose the next day and get swept? There is no pill more bitter to swallow – just ask the Royals. No matter your particular allegiances as a fan – and therefore possible sorrows for being on the losing end – it's important to cherish the doubleheader when it happens. They are, as previously mentioned, more of a rarity these days. The doubleheader is a throwback to an earlier time, a time when Mr. Cub gleefully roamed the infield. Sadly, Ernie is no longer with us, but his memory comes calling back every time two games are played in a single day. The hot summer sun coming down on the Wrigley Field bleachers. Cold beer and ice cream. You buy one ticket and spend a full day at the park, nowhere else to be and nothing to worry about except getting a W. Yep, let's play two.     

The 2018 Major League Baseball season is officially underway. The Yankees came to town for four against the Jays to start things off, and we've got some thoughts from the series. Happy reading!  1. Playing the Yankees is going to be tough. This offseason there was a lot of talk about the Bronx Bombers living up to their nickname with the addition of Giancarlo Stanton to a line up of existing home run hitters, like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. It certainly didn't take long for them to do so; Stanton sent a solo dinger into the bleachers in his first regular season at bat as a Yankee. Stanton then homered again later in the game, this time a two-run shot, and Brent Gardener added to the talley with his own in the 8th. Bombers indeed. 2. Josh Donaldson's arm doesn't look so great. There were some concerns about The Bringer of Rain towards the end of spring training, that he had a bum shoulder, and it didn't temper any concerns that he stayed home for the Jays' two exhibition games in Montreal. Opening Day confirmed there is definitely a problem; Donaldson made four or five throws and all of them were muffins. He seems fine to hit, and perhaps the arm issue doesn't hurt too much, but considering the Jays luck with injuries last year it is worrisome. It would be DH duties for Donaldson in game two, three, and four (Yangervis Solarte came in at third base), so it remains to be seen how long JD will be away from 3B. ***Update: Donaldson will be in the lineup at third tonight against the White Sox.  3. Justin Smoak's great 2017 season may have been legit. Prior to last season, Smoak had been an average ballplayer – a good fill-in option with some pop, but not really a reliable starter. In 2017 the South Carolinian got regular playing time and had a break-out season at the age of 30, finishing with 90 RBIs, 38 home runs, a .270 batting average – all career bests by far – and an All-Star Game appearance. Smoak has picked up where he left off last year. He single-handedly beat the Yankees in game four of the series, first by crushing a two-run home run over the outfield wall and then with a grand slam later in the game. For the season he's batting .368 and has eight RBIs, which is a great start. 4. Yangervis Solarte is all energy and good vibes. The 30-year-old Venezuelan came to the Jays from the Padres this off-season and has already made an impact a few games in. He can play all over the infield and has filled in admirably at third base with Josh Donaldson hurting. Solarte's bat helped the Jays get their first win of the season, and he has also been the team's number-one cheerleader in the dugout. Every time the Jays score you'll see Solarte dancing around with a smile from ear to ear; he provides the kind of positive vibes any team needs to keep things light over a gruelling 162-game season. 5. The Jays should have great support from the fans once again. The last two seasons have seen Canada's team finish in the top five for attendance figures and you'll find fans at every away series (especially in Seattle, where Western Canadians take over). Over the last five years the country has really embraced the Jays and this season should be no different. The Dome was loud over the first four games and will be all spring and summer, especially if the team plays more like they did in 2015 and '16.  The Jays lost the first two to the Yankees 6-1 and 4-2 respectively, but fought back to win the remaining two games of the series, 5-3 and 7-4 results. New York has been pegged by many to take it all this season, so good on the Jays for battling tough. Canada's team might just surprise some people this season. 

It may be hard to believe it with much of North America still fighting rain and snow and cold temperatures, but the Major League Baseball regular season is set to begin this Thursday! For most of us in Canada, that means Blue Jays baseball. It's exciting to know that very soon we'll be able to cheer on Canada's team live, from the Dome, the bar, or at home. And hopefully Mother Nature will get the hint and bring out the sunshine right quick, as nothing goes along with baseball quite as well as a bright, blue-skied day.  Because of this, we often forget that in Toronto for the Jays' first ever game, it snowed. Yes, on April 7, 1977 there was a snowstorm. How typically Canadian. And the Jays didn't have the shelter of the Rogers Centre roof – at that time they played in the more rustic, open-air Exhibition Park off of Lake Ontario. A decent layer of snow covered the field, making it seem more the site of some Winter Olympic event than a baseball game. Some of the players went around with catchers' pads as show-shoes and bats as ski poles, allowing for one of the best game-day photos ever:  The game was not called, of course – this was Canada, a little snow was nothing to fret over. A Zamboni-like snowblower cleaned up the field and things got underway. The Jays would win the franchise/season opener 9-5 over the visiting Chicago White Sox in front of 44,649 intrepid fans. First baseman Doug Ault would be the hero of the day, knocking in four runs and scoring two himself. It would be one of few high points for the Jays that season as they went on to lose 107 games. Still, it's always nice to win your first – especially when you've faced three hours and twenty-two minutes of single digit, snowy weather! Flying forward to last season, the Jays had a much nicer start in terms of the elements, but on the field their form was disastrous; they would get off to a 1-9 start over their first ten games, the worst in franchise history. Yes, worse than what the 107-loss baby birds of '77 could manage. Behind the ball from the start, the Jays could not get over the .500 hump at any point last year and missed the postseason. The roster hasn't changed too much going into this season, apart from the departure of face-of-the-franchise Jose Bautista, so it remains to be seen whether the club can take flight in 2018. 2015 and 2016 were happy days for the Jays as they made it within a couple of games of the World Series both seasons, so that will be the goal this time around, to get back to the postseason and make some noise. But no matter what happens this year one thing is for sure: there will never be another game like that of April 7, 1977. 

It's finally time for spring training, folks... hallelujah, baseball is back! We ran this piece last year, but because the sentiment – that the reemergence of baseball provides relief from the depths of winter – always holds true, we're giving it to you again (with some slight changes and amendments). Enjoy! *** You step outside, onto your doorstep, and instantly a biting chill hits. The small amount of exposed flesh between toque and scarf takes the blow and tenses up. It is definitely below zero, most likely snowing — tearing tends to impede vision. There is snow. It is not only falling down from the clouds, but a thick layer blankets everything. Though Christmas is over and the new year is in full swing, winter feels like it will never end, its tight grasp stifling all living things. You 180 and go back inside, the elements too much to handle this early in the day. The bus to work will probably be delayed anyway, so no need to rush. "When will this cold, dark nightmare ever end?" you think to yourself. You are frozen, almost literally, to the spot. On the counter at the end of the hallway, in the kitchen, is a small 2018 calendar which catches your eye as you stare off blankly. The calendar is baseball themed. Baseball, summer’s game… Then it clicks: yes, baseball may be at its most glorious, sun-drenched peak in July and August, but each new season is born in winter. “Spring” training has a deceivingly early February 23rd start date (March 20th officially marks the changing of the seasons). Baseball is here, which means warm weather is not far away! These facts stir a strange feeling within: Joy, unabashed. But just as quickly as this happy sensation comes, another, distinctively melancholy, takes its place. Baseball gets going in late-winter, though for most northerly North Americans the year’s second and third months still bring cold and/or snowy weather. How cruel. Not only must we continue to trudge through slush, but do it while Major Leaguers stretch their limbs amongst the palms of Florida and cacti of Arizona. Though it seems impossible, the key is to step away from jealous thinking and remember that spring training ball is now widely available. Back when the game’s earlier legends were migrating south, spring training was not an event. Big names like Stan Musial (pictured) would have been sought after only by the locals and just for a quick autograph. Now the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues have hordes of devotees come down to escape the cold and cheer on their club’s exhibition play. And, sport being the media behemoth it now is, most games are shown live via cable or online streaming. So, even if you can’t get away to Florida or Arizona, find a broadcast and live vicariously through it. Take in enough innings and you will start to feel that little bit warmer, as if the sun’s southern rays have breached the screen and entered your living room. You may become so absorbed by the tropical or desert scenery and the imaginary sensation of warmth that a rude shock hits when your eyes inevitably flit towards the window. Close the blinds if you must. Stay calm and focus on baseball. Imagine you are there, in the stands, the condensation from a cold beer running onto your hand. The sun beats down upon your face, which is protected by a thick smattering of sunscreen. Or, maybe you are on the field, some new prospect showing off his skills. You dive into the channel between right and centre field, snatching the ball just as it is about to hit the ground. The crowd cheers a relaxed spring training cheer. The truly adventurous will not only find themselves in sunny clime, but back in time as well. In a coarse flannel uniform you practice fielding grounders while the odd swimsuit-clad beach-goer watches on their way home. It takes some work and careful meditation to feel happy for, and not jealous of, baseball’s existence this early in the year. But find that happy place and spring training becomes a false, yet healthy shelter in which to hide from winter’s final days. Watch enough games and before you know it opening day and warm, pleasant weather will have truly become a reality. Then you can fling open the door and, after surveying the green, lush surroundings confidently, run out into the world. Winter, no matter how powerful it seems, is defeated eventually. Play ball.