The Toronto Blue Jays became an expansion team in 1976, playing its first season the following year. Over 30,000 people submitted entries to the “Name the Team” contest, and thousands of names were considered before the owners settled on Blue Jays. Not only did brand-new fans suggest names, they also snapped up available baseball tickets and packed the stadium, setting a record for attendance at a new team’s home games.

Despite losing season after season, the fans never turned their backs on the team. Blue Jays tickets sold at a remarkable rate, and fans set another record for attendance, with nearly 4.7 million people filling the stands at Exhibition Stadium over the first three seasons.

Finally, things started turning around for Toronto. The players pulled together as a team, and the quick outfield gained a strong reputation. Dave Stieb, who had switched from outfield to pitching in the Minors, jumped from a single-A farm team to the Major League in a single season.

By 1981, Stieb posted the first winning record for a Blue Jays starter, Damaso Garcia batted an amazing .375 until August when he broke his wrist, and the team rallied to finish out the year strong. In 1983, the Blue Jays finally had a winning season, 89-73. Stieb was the starting pitcher that year, and again in 1984, for the All-Star Game. Through the rest of the decade, the team posted winning seasons every year and made two trips to the playoffs. Loyal Jays fans had always loved their team, but the rest of the league was finally starting to take notice. Shortstop Tony Fernandez received the Gold Glove three consecutive years, 1986-89, and outfielder Jesse Barfield took the award in 1986-87.

The Blue Jays left Exhibition Stadium and moved to a new home field in 1989, Rogers Centre. The Jays soared in the 1990s. Stieb hurled a no-hitter in 1990 against the Indians. Outfielder Devon White and second baseman Roberto Alomar were both awarded the Gold Glove every year from 1991 to 1995. The team took its first pennant in 1992 and won the World Series against the Braves, the first Series championship for a Canadian team.

Not content to win once, the Blue Jays turned around the next year and won the Series again, this time against the Phillies. The win in 1993 was particularly spectacular, clinched by Joe Carter’s home run. It was only the second time the Series had ended on a home run. An outfielder, Carter was a regular home run hitter, but this was truly his finest blast.

The Blue Jays have struggled to return to the playoffs. There have been bright spots in the midst of losing seasons, such as Carlos Delgado, who won batting awards in 1999, 2000, and 2003. While the past few seasons haven’t been good to the Blue Jays, tickets are still selling due to loyal fans flocking to Rogers Centre to cheer for their team.