'We're just excited to be here': Fans flock to Rogers Centre for Blue Jays' return
A sea of blue jerseys and T-shirts welcomed the Toronto Blue Jays back to the Rogers Centre on Friday as fans flocked to see the team play at home for the first time in nearly two years.
The crowd that lined up outside the stadium was abuzz with excitement, with many saying the Jays' return -- and the ability to watch them in person -- felt like a step towards normalcy in the midst the COVID-19 pandemic, even though many wore masks.
“I think it's important that these kind of games are back, it really builds morale,” said Sam Guyatt, 40, who attended Friday's game with his wife and two children.
Jessica Smith said she and her friends were “super excited” to see the Jays play on home turf, where they were hosting the Kansas City Royals on Friday.
“It really feels like we're back in Toronto again,” she said.
Joanne Aprile said her family has been going to Jays games for about a decade, noting her 10-year-old son, John, went to his first game when he was two and has become an ardent fan. It was important for him to be there for the team's return, she added.
“Getting tickets was a bit hard this time due to high demand but we're just excited to be here,” she said.
The Jays were allowed to come back to Toronto after the federal government granted them a national interest travel exemption.
The team hasn't played at Rogers Centre since September 2019 because of pandemic measures, including the ban on travel between the U.S. and Canada.
The team kicked off this season hosting home games at its spring training site in Dunedin, Fla., before returning to the home of their triple-A affiliate earlier this summer.
The stadium remains under capacity restrictions, however, and team officials have said it can only accommodate about one-third of its usual maximum at this time.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.