Fans in Calgary get swept up in Jays fever

Fans across Canada have rallied to root for the Blue Jays in the World Series. They've waited 32 years for the team to win another championship.

Chris Doucher has been a huge fan of the Toronto Blue Jays since he was a kid.

He’s such a big fan that he was identified to appear in the Rogers One Team, Many Homes commercial. Five crews simultaneously shot in five cities across Canada with only 48 hours’ notice.

Doucher jokes that it made him a bit of a celebrity.

“I mean, hearing from friends here that I currently talk to,” he said.

“(I’m) also hearing from friends from decades ago getting in touch and saying, ‘Did I just see you on TV?’” Doucher added. “‘You’re in a Jays commercial, of course you are.’ To others who said thanks for ruining the game!”

Fond memories

Doucher has a huge Jays hat collection, programs from memorable games and a lot of memorabilia, but his prized possessions are tickets from the 1992 and 1993 Blue Jays World Series wins. He grew up in Oakville, Ont., and his family had season tickets to the Jays.

He was fortunate to be in the crowd when Joe Carter touched ’em all for the team’s first championship on home soil.

He says it’s a memory he’ll never forget.

“My dad said at the time in 1992, he said, ‘Chris you’re going to go to these games and you’re very lucky to go, understand that. Also understand you never know how much longer after this it will take to come around again. So enjoy it,’ and I said OK,” he said.

“(Then) 1993 hits and he says, ‘OK, same thing I said last year and Go Jays Go!’”

Game 6

Doucher won’t make it to a World Series game this time around but Lisa Vlooswyk and her husband Anton are in Toronto for Friday night’s Game 6.

They flew in from Calgary on Friday morning.

Lisa says it’s already been an amazing experience.

“Surreal,” she said.

“The coolest thing was on the plane -- tons of Calgarians here and then at Pearson Airport we met people from Winnipeg, Edmonton, Kingston and Nova Scotia all flying in today.

“You should have seen all the Blue Jays gear at the airport. ... Everyone from Canada!”

Even though it’s cold and rainy in Toronto, The Vlooswyks were soaking up the atmosphere.

Anton says he can hardly wait to see what it’s like in the building at Game 6.

”The energy inside is going to be unbelievable,” he said.

“It’s Canada’s team, as Lisa was mentioning. ... We’re all just so proud and rooting for them.”