Responding to a wager of barbecued ribs from the mayor of Kansas City, Toronto Mayor John Tory offered his American counterpart a lesson in locally-brewed beer.
Tory says regardless of the outcome of the American League Championship Series, which pits the Toronto Blue Jays against the Kansas City Royals, he plans to send three types of Toronto craft-brewed beer to Kansas City Mayor Sly James.
But Tory says James is about to learn more about Toronto than just its array of beer.
“(James) will discover three things,” Tory told reporters outside city hall on Friday. “Number one, our beer is stronger, number two, our pitchers are stronger, and number three, our hitters are stronger. So Mayor James, game on . . . go Jays.”
Recreating Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista’s memorable bat toss from Wednesday night’s game against the Texas Rangers, Tory then hurled a white baseball bat into the Nathan Phillips Square’s reflecting pool.
James issued the friendly challenge to Tory Thursday.
“Congratulations on making it this far Mayor Tory and the Toronto Blue Jays, but we have a wager for you,” he said.
“We are going to not lose, so I’m really more interested in what you’re going to do for us. I will warn you in advance, we have our own maple syrup, so something else maybe.”
On offer to Tory and Toronto for a win: a selection of ribs and sauces from three local restaurants.
Game 1 of the ALCS gets underway at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City tonight at 8:07 p.m.
