Where were you 16 years ago?
Today is a very special day – it’s an occasion so momentous that it should almost be declared a national holiday in Canada.
It was this very day 16 years ago that Joe Carter solidified himself as one of the greatest Blue Jays of all time by taking a Mitch Williams pitch deep to ensure the World Series trophy would remain in Canada.
Fly-by-night and casual fans talk about how they remember the good old days when the Blue Jays used to rule the American League East and how Joe Carter was their favourite baseball player. As a kid, Joe Carter was my favourite Blue Jay years before he ever even stepped in the batter’s box on October 23rd 1993 against Mitch Williams.
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After that night, nothing was the same ever again. JC was everybody’s new favourite Blue Jay player and suddenly I was lost in the sea of thousands and thousands of self-proclaimed Blue Jays fans and Joe Carter adorers.
I know now that it was selfish of me to think that Joe Carter could only be MY favourite player and nobody else’s.
Prior to the Philadelphia Phillies World Series win last year, the memories of Mitch Williams nearly tumbling off the mound have been ingrained in their minds for years and years. Now they are hoping to win back to back World Series just as the Blue Jays did 15 years ago.
So what about you – where were you 16 years ago when the Blue Jays won their second straight World Series? I as a snotty-faced nine year old kid was absolutely ecstatic and jumping on my parent’s couch when the ball sailed over the left field fence. It happened so quick, I almost couldn’t believe it.
Ever since then, I will never forget what happened on October 23rd, 1993 – and neither should you.
When Carter hit that home run, I was in the middle of explaining to my dad why I thought Cito had blown the game by mismanaging the bullpen.
And low and behold, Cito's mistake was overshadowed by Joe Carter's heroic home run!
I was at a friend's place in North Vancouver with a bunch of guys I'd recently met, including one American who insisted up to that point that the Jays weren't good enough to win another World Series. Had just started my first year in university.
I was nine at the time of the collapse in 1985, which is when I started watching the Jays, so '92-3 were a sweet cap to watching some very decent teams for a few years. I think Joe was my favourite at the time, but I'd had a few different ones over the previous years, so he wasn't my first by any means.
Thanks for the memories guys.
You were there to witness the epic collapse of 85? Man, I feel for you … that must have been tough as hell to watch.
Like you said, at least they redeemed themselves the following decade. Now if the Jays could make the playoffs THIS decade.
Good times.