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When fans head to the ballpark, they expect the day's events to be unpredictable. For one Blue Jays fan, that's exactly what ended up happening, but not in a way he would have hoped for. Heading to Rogers Center to cheer on his beloved Blue Jays as they took on the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, 70-year-old Dan Begley was forced to leave the ballpark for wearing a 'Canada is not for sale' hat.
Allegedly, the reason cited for his removal was that Begley was violating a rule against fans making "political statements." The hat that Begley was sporting gained popularity when Ontario Premier Doug Ford wore it in January when meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other premiers.
It has since become a symbol for Canadians to display their national pride in the wake of US President Donald Trump's statements and policies over the past few months. A clip allegedly showing the moment when Begley was forced to leave the stadium was uploaded on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
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Blue Jays spokesperson Andrea Goldstein has since apologized for the incident, saying the staff had made a mistake. Goldstein added that the organization had invited Begley back to the ballpark and that he had accepted their apology.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford commends Blue Jays fan Dan Begley and urges him to "be a proud Canadian"
As news emerged of Dan Begley being removed from Rogers Center during Thursday's MLB fixture, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, extended his support to the 70-year-old. In a voicemail he sent, Ford extended his support to the Toronto fan.
"Hi Dan, it’s Doug Ford calling," Ontario's premier said. "I heard about your story, and you just wear that hat. Be a proud Canadian. I’m so proud of you. Never take that off. (If) anyone gives you a problem, you give me a call directly. Just keep wearing that hat and wave that flag."
Additionally, it was reported that Ford provided Begley with tickets for the Blue Jays' series opener against the Washington Nationals on Monday.
