Being in Los Angeles Dodgers territory isn’t holding this Toronto Blue Jays fan from organizing a watch party at a local sports bar as the World Series takes the field at Dodger Stadium.
Though Chad Herscovici has lived in L.A. for more than a decade, he tells CTV News Toronto that he has been a die-hard fan since he was six years old. Some friends have tried to convert Herscovici into becoming a Dodgers fan, but the Toronto transplant says he “never” would swap jerseys.
“There were times in my childhood when all my friends were wearing Dodger stuff and I was the only one in a Blue Jay shirt and everything,” Herscovici said.
“I’ve stuck through it this entire time and we’ve had such good teams over the years that have come close but, none of that really had this special feeling as this team right now.”
The last time the Blue Jays participated in the World Series was back in 1993, when the Toronto team clinched the win thanks to Joe Carter’s infamous walk-off home run in Game 6.
Now that the World Series is back to L.A., Herscovici took it upon himself to organize a watch party at a sports bar as a way of banding Canadians together and making their presence known as the entire country rallies behind Toronto to win. He says the plan is to head to Busby’s West for Tuesday night’s game, Game 4 of the best-of-seven series.
“It’s a big bar and it’s actually a (Buffalo) Bills bar. That’s kind of how we landed on this, so we’re hoping that some of those Bills fans are also Jays fans, but we’re not really relying on that,” Herscovici said in an interview on Monday.
It was a bit challenging to get in contact with the bar, Herscovici said, adding he didn’t lead with how it was going to be for a Blue Jays watch party.
“I figured that was going to get us rejected,” Herscovici said. “I basically just reached out and I told him that we got a big group that wants to watch the World Series and what it would entail, and they basically just said, ‘Yeah, come on by.’”
The 38-year-old said there was nothing to reserve—something he says he is a little “leery” about since he is unsure how seating will work, but adds he plans to get there very early so he can stake out space.
“There’s going to be a lot of Jays fans there tomorrow night either way,” Herscovici said.
Based on the number of people who have responded to him via Facebook, Herscovici says at least 20 people will be there (plus whoever they bring with them to tag along).
“There’s actually a guy who reached out to me who lives a couple of blocks away, believe it or not,” Herscovici said. “Other things that have come from this, maybe make friends long term that are also Canadians in L.A.”
When asked about whether he’s nervous about being outnumbered by Dodgers fans at the bar on Tuesday night, Herscovici said he’s not worried.
“It’s a friendly sport, it’s a fun competition, look there’s going to be lots of smack talk I’m sure, like in any sport,” Herscovici said. “But no, I’m not worried at all.”
CTV News Toronto contacted Busby’s West for comment.
