Bob Schwartz

The Toronto Blue Jays have won the championship of the MLB American League, heading to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

When the Arizona Diamondbacks (National League champion in 2023) failed to make this year’s playoffs, I temporarily moved my fandom for this season to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Why? Because I already liked our North American neighbor Canada, but when Trump began his campaign of disdain and disrespect—idiotically suggesting that it should become the 51st state—I became a bigger Canada supporter and promoter.

It is still a question whether the Blue Jays can defeat the Dodgers, though it would be great to have a Canadian team as world champion of the American game (they have before, 31 years ago).

I am guessing that some MAGA people, often uninformed and irrational, will clamor for this Canadian team to be excluded entirely from Major League Baseball. Or, alternatively, will push harder for Canada as a 51st state.

I’m not saying that if you don’t love Trump you should love the Blue Jays. I’m not not saying that. Maybe you love LA, maybe you love the Dodgers. It’s a free country?

All I’m saying is that the Blue Jays are a very good baseball team, that Canada is a very good independent country with lots to recommend it, so rooting for the Blue Jays is worth considering. O Canada! Go Canada!

© 2025 Bob Schwartz