The last time the Toronto Blue Jays' were off to the World Series, 32 years ago, they made their way to the top with help from the city of St. Catharines, Ont., and their team, once known — and loved — as the Baby Jays.
The Toronto MLB organization formed the St. Catharines Blue Jays in 1985 to attract fans outside of Toronto. St. Catharines entered the New York-Penn League (NYPL) a year later and was affiliated with Toronto for a decade. St. Catharines was a stepping stone for players to move on to the major leagues, and many of them did.
Known more as a hockey and rowing city, St. Catharines was an ideal location for baseball due to its proximity to Toronto and its field, then called Community Park. It met the requirements for St. Catharines to play in the NYPL, a Class A short-season minor league that ran from 1939 to 2020.
The minor league Blue Jays played their first season in 1986 at Community Park, now called George Taylor Field, in St. Catharines. (Cathy Teshima Collection/St.
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