TORONTO — Looking to show support for his home team following their recent string of successes, David Reynolds was grief stricken with the realization that he had discarded his old Blue Jays jersey.
Reynolds, a Toronto native, had originally purchased the jersey in 1993, shortly before the Blue Jays went on to win their second World Series title in a row. The jersey featured a screen printed portrait of star player Rickey Henderson silhouetted by the Jays logo and, for a period of time, it was Reynolds’ most prized possession. However, In the years following that success, the Blue Jays repeatedly failed to even qualify for the playoffs and the jersey found itself sliding further and further back into the recesses of Reynolds’ closet. Now, with the team coming off an impressive 11-game winning streak, Reynold’s had hoped to show his undying support for the home team only to realize that he no longer had the jersey.
In an interview with local media a teary-eyed Reynolds was quoted stating, “It’s just not fair. I’ve been supporting this team since day one. I’m not anything like these people who just went out and bought merch once they started winning, I’m a lifelong fan!” However, when questioned further about what had actually happened to the jersey Reynolds admitted that it had likely been torn into strips and used for rags about 10 years ago.
In spite of the loss of his once beloved jersey Reynolds remains optimistic for the future. With the Blue Jays’ winning streak having come to an end Friday night, Reynolds has stopped scouring Ebay for replacement vintage Jays gear, though, should the team resume winning, his search preferences have been saved.
As a silver lining, in the hunt for his jersey, Reynolds stumbled across another lost treasure, his 1998 Nagano Olympics red newsboy cap — an item he’s excited to incorporate into his fall wardrobe. “The colors suit me better anyway” said Reynolds.
