Page 15 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 153

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #153 October 2025 15

From Expos to Blue Jays: A Fan’s Journey of
Loyalty
By: Molly Kett when I was there with the local
traveling baseball team, the River
hen the Montreal Expos Rats. We were in Toronto for the
Wrelocated to Washington in provincials. The Jays were hosting
2004, baseball fans across Quebec the Yankees, and Roger Clemens
faced a true sporting crisis. For was on the mound for the Jays.
Jean-Marc Guindon, the move Seeing Clemens in person was
meant heartbreak—followed by a super cool. He’s one of the best
new allegiance. pitchers of all time, and I knew we
were watching a legend!”
“I became a Blue Jays fan around
2004-2005 when it was announced As a former Expos fan, stretches
that the Montreal Expos were of struggle never deterred him
being relocated to Washington, from loving his team.
DC,” said Guindon. “I grew up
“Uncompetitive stretches were
as an Expos fan, attending many common as an Expos fan. At
games with my family each year, least, it seemed like the Jays were
and the move was quite a sad
trying to be competitive,” said
event for me. There was no way Guindon. “They were just in a Photo Submitted
I could cheer for the new team
very competitive division with the
in Washington. Thankfully, most Yankees and Red Sox. I just loved watch, too!” follow baseball were talking about
Jays games were televised at the baseball and couldn’t help but Guindon has had many incredible the Jays. You could tell the Jays
time, and the transition went fairly were becoming a thing. It’s fun!”
watch and cheer.” memories as a die-hard Jays fan,
smoothly. The team wasn’t really and he adds to them year by year. Like most loyal fans, Guindon
good, but I was used to that as an That loyalty has finally been
Expos fan!” rewarded in recent seasons. When asked about some of the best has created his own set of traditions
moments, he picked a recent one. for each game.
It wasn’t the team’s record that “Until recently, the Jays were “In early July, the Jays swept the
drew him in—it was the players. on fire. The team was playing as a “I’m not very
collective. The fundamentals were Yankees in a four-game series to superstitious, but my wife and
“What hooked me? Starting take possession of first place in the mom watch all the games and will
pitcher and ace of the staff - Roy good. Solid pitching, excellent division. The Yankees are known text each other updates during the
defence, and timely hitting. While
‘Doc’ Halladay. He was so good Guerrero & Bichette are the stars as the evil empire and have always games when we’re not together,”
and so consistent. Locked in and been one of the Jays’ biggest said Guindon. “We text each other
of the team, all players pull their
focused on game day. I couldn’t weight, and the manager puts them adversaries,” said Guindon. “What high-five emoticons for every
help but idolize him when I was in the best position to succeed,” made it even sweeter is that both home run hit and a smiley face
a teenager,” said Guindon. “My my dad and sister cheer for the emoji for every run scored. And
said Guindon. “The breakout of
earliest memory of attending Addison Barger and the comeback Yanks. For shame! It was around every Jays win is celebrated with
a game at the Sky Dome was this time that my friends, family,
of George Springer were fun to Continued on page 31
and people who don’t regularly