Even the best athletes in the world lose themselves in fandom when cheering on their childhood teams. Such is the case for Canada’s fastest man, who is a proud member of the nation’s fastest growing fanbase.
Andre De Grasse performed when the stakes were high to the tune of three Olympic medals in Rio. However, he was feeling real pressure when he was helpless watching his beloved Blue Jays strand runners in scoring position until Edwin Encarnacion cashed in three runs to send Toronto back to the American League Division Series. The proud Greater Toronto Area native talked to me about his love for the Blue Jays and how the team’s success impacts the perception of the country he represents.
Donnovan Bennett: Normally, by far the biggest sports moments in an Olympic year are from the track but since Rio Canadians have had Brad Marchand’s winning goal in the World Cup of Hockey and now Edwin Encarnacion’s walkoff home run. What was your reaction when the Blue Jays won?
Andre De Grasse: That was big! Tuesday night, I was watching the game here in L.A. I was pretty nervous because I knew we had to win that game to get into a playoff series. To see that ball fly, that was big! I’ve become a huge fan of the Blue Jays. You know when I was younger watching the Blue Jays we never really got to make the playoffs. Seeing them rise up and seeing a guy like Marcus Stroman and Jose Bautista emerge; we’ve come a long way. Now we have two sports teams that we can talk about, the Raptors and the Blue Jays. Now we’re just waiting on the Maple Leafs (laughs).
This moment makes me reminisce about 1992-1993 but you’re so young you don’t have any association with Joe Carter’s walkoff do you?
No, I wasn’t born. I’m a ’94. So I mean I never got to catch the Jays hype and experience that. So I’m part of a whole new generation of Blue Jays fans. So now seeing them succeed hopefully I can experience them in a World Series like my parents and my cousins in ’92-’93. It’s different when you hear stories than when you actually lived it. Hopefully, I can live to have that experience and be a part of something like that.
Have you jumped on the bandwagon since the bat flip or have you been fan from time?
No, I’ve been a baseball fan from time. I used to collect all the Blue Jays hats. I remember I’d go to the New Era store downtown and buy all the Blue Jays hats. I mean, I’ve been a baseball fan since I was young. Baseball was my third sport. I used to play it in the summer when I was younger. I used to play peewee softball and hard ball. I’ve always been a fan of baseball but now seeing the Blue Jays do so well I’ve become even a bigger fan. One day I want to come home and catch a playoff game and experience that whole atmosphere.
What are your memories of playing baseball?
When I played baseball I played for Scarborough East because we were living in Scarborough at that time. I believe we beat Kitchener in the finals. I played from (age) 10-14. I played centre field and if I got tired or felt lazy during the game the coach would move me to shortstop or first base (laughs).
So you were just pulling a Kevin Pillar running balls down?
Ha! Man, I guess you could say that (laughs).
Do you have a relationship with any of the guys on the team?
I talk to (Marcus) Stroman and (Aaron) Sanchez. I haven’t had a chance to meet Edwin (Encarnacion) or Jose (Bautista) yet but I’ve met Stroman and Sanchez and those guys are pretty cool.
Do you brag about Toronto teams while down south?
Definitely. Now is the time to talk about Toronto. There are so many influential people coming out of Toronto in this generation. Now is the time that everybody is starting to learn about Canada. Some people when I was younger didn’t know much about it but now they are starting to learn all about it, whether or not it’s musically or sports. People before would ask me ‘How is Toronto?’ Now people say ‘Oh, that’s the six right?’ Me being out here in L.A. and saying I’m from Toronto, a lot of people find that pretty cool. They always used to ask me ‘How do I live there?’ Even though I wasn’t home much in the winter, I would go back in the summer. Now they say ‘That’s pretty cool, I’d like to visit there’ because they are starting to hear about Toronto.
I spent some time going to school in the States and people would ask me if I lived in an igloo and had a canoe. I can only imagine what it was like for you in the South.
Yeah, I got the same questions all the time at (University of Southern California). All the time! But now they are seeing people like Drake and the Weeknd. It definitely helps when the Blue Jays and Raptors are on national TV in the U.S. in the playoffs. The Raptors making it to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals and the Jays playing good in a tough division is exposure so it gives America no choice but to talk about us and see what we’re all about.
Drake’s already mentioned Andrew Wiggins and Cory Joseph in songs. Are you the next Canadian athlete in line to get a feature?
It’s not a big deal to me. It would be cool if he did that though because Drake is a really influential guy and he put Toronto on the map. When people hear I’m from Toronto or see me wearing a Blue Jays hat or a Raptors shirt they always mention him.
Basketball is your first love, how are you feeling about the Raptors this season?
I feel like we can make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals again. It’s going to be tough to get past LeBron. But I definitely feel we’ll be back in the hunt for the Eastern Conference and take Cleveland to six or even seven this year. It’s our year. First the Olympics and now the Blue Jays. We got this. We are going to keep doing big things.
So you just need a Dodgers versus Blue Jays World Series so you can catch a game in L.A.
Oh yeah! I’ll definitely be there. Whether or not it is in L.A. or Toronto, I’ll be there. That’s big. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so I’ll be there.