Blue Jays History

Skydome (1989-2005)
Renamed to the "Rogers Centre" in 2005.

In June 1989 the Toronto Blue Jays left Exhibition Stadium for the newly completed Skydome. Situated closer to downtown and next to the CN Tower, the Skydome was ideal for baseball in Toronto as it has a roof closed to the elements when necessary. Skydome was the first stadium in the world to have a fully-retractable motorized roof.

Designed by Rod Robbie & Michael Allen and built by EllisDon Construction (London, Ontario) - construction was finished in just 3 years (April 1986 to June 1989). The cost of the building, $570 million was paid for federal and provincial government, the City of Toronto and many corporations (aswell as the Blue Jays).

The stadium officially opened on June 3, 1989 with "The Opening of SkyDome: A Celebration" with a crowd of over 50,000 in attendance. It arrived a few months late for the Blue Jays, who had planned on the stadium being opened for their first home game of the 1989 season.

On February 2, 2005 Rogers Communications announced a 3 year corporate contract to change the name of Skydome to the Rogers Centre (2005-Present). After the purchase, the building was refurbished including replacing the Jumbotron with a ProStar screen, erecting new monitors (including monitors build on the outfield wall). FieldTurf was also installed to replace the old AstroTurf.

In November 2005 the Rogers Centre received a complete makeover in the 100 level concourse, making it larger. Seats had to be removed which slightly brought down the capacity size. 43 luxury boxes were also renovated and some were converted in to party suites which can accommodate up to 150 people.

The Rogers Centre became a completly smoke free building in 2006.

Location:

Rogers Centre is located in the heart of the entertainment district of downtown Toronto at the corner of Front and John Streets, west of the CN Tower. Rogers Centre is just a short walk from Union Station (subway and train station), just north of Toronto’s Harbourfront. Rogers Centre is also accessible from Lakeshore Blvd. at the Spadina Avenue exit.

Team Logos
1977-1996		In 1977 when the Toronto Blue Jays began play in the American League they sported the now familiar Blue Jays logo that was designed by Toronto-based Savage Sloan Ltd.
1996-2002		In 1997 the Blue Jays adopted a new team logo. The logo was designed by Major League Properties and brought the colour red into prominence as a maple leaf served as the backdrop for the bird logo.
2003		In 2000 the Blue Jays added an alternate logo on hats which were used exclusively as spring training and batting practice caps. The logo featured an animated Blue Jay holding a bat and reaching around a large red T to toss a ball in the air. The arm of the bird tossing the ball displays a red maple leaf. For the 2003 season, the alternate logo was used exclusively.
2004-present		Brandid, a Toronto-based firm, was selected in early 2002 from competing design teams to create a new primary mark, that would form the launching point for the rebranding process. The end result is a newly styled blue jay extending to the left from "Jays" lettering based on traditional baseball script with three-dimensional metallic letters.

Stadiums
Exhibition Stadium
Owner: City of Toronto Built: 1959 Cost: $17.6 MIL (1976) Surface: AstroTurf Capacity: 38,522 (1977), 43,737 (1977-1988) Dimensions: 330 - 375 - 400 - 375 - 330 Fence Height: 12 feet, 8 where padded. Closed: May 28, 1989 Demolished: February 1, 1999	Exhibition Stadium (1977-1989) Also Known As: "Mistake by the Lake" Originally built for Canadian football and other events, the Toronto Blue Jays called Exhibition Stadium home from 1977 to 1989. The 4th stadium on the site to be built since 1879, Exhibition Stadium was an awful place for baseball. It was the only major league game played where the field was completely covered by snow, the first game in Blue Jays history. It was the location of the only major league game called due to wind. It was the only major league stadium where the bleachers were covered and the grandstand was not. Aside from weather effects, the odd shape of the stadium made many of the seats very far away from the field. Some seats were as far as 820 ft away - the farthest distance of any major league stadium used as a home field. Due to it’s close proximity to Lake Ontario, the leftover food from football and baseball games attracted many seagulls. In August 1983 Dave Winfield was arrested for killing a seagull when he threw a ball and hit the gull on the head. In 1983 the Blue Jays and Argos of the CFL agreed to abandon the stadium once a domed building could be constructed closer to downtown Toronto. In 1989 the Blue Jays moved to Skydome.
Skydome - Rogers Centre
Owner: Rogers Communications Construction: April 1986-May 1989 Cost: $570 million Surface: AstroTurf (1989-2004), FieldTurf (since 2005) Capacity: 50,516 Dimensions: 328 - 375 - 404 - 375 - 328 Gates Open: Sat/Sun: 2 hours before start time Mon-Fr: 1:30 before start time	Skydome (1989-2005) Renamed to the "Rogers Centre" in 2005. In June 1989 the Toronto Blue Jays left Exhibition Stadium for the newly completed Skydome. Situated closer to downtown and next to the CN Tower, the Skydome was ideal for baseball in Toronto as it has a roof closed to the elements when necessary. Skydome was the first stadium in the world to have a fully-retractable motorized roof. Designed by Rod Robbie & Michael Allen and built by EllisDon Construction (London, Ontario) - construction was finished in just 3 years (April 1986 to June 1989). The cost of the building, $570 million was paid for federal and provincial government, the City of Toronto and many corporations (aswell as the Blue Jays). The stadium officially opened on June 3, 1989 with "The Opening of SkyDome: A Celebration" with a crowd of over 50,000 in attendance. It arrived a few months late for the Blue Jays, who had planned on the stadium being opened for their first home game of the 1989 season. On February 2, 2005 Rogers Communications announced a 3 year corporate contract to change the name of Skydome to the Rogers Centre (2005-Present). After the purchase, the building was refurbished including replacing the Jumbotron with a ProStar screen, erecting new monitors (including monitors build on the outfield wall). FieldTurf was also installed to replace the old AstroTurf. In November 2005 the Rogers Centre received a complete makeover in the 100 level concourse, making it larger. Seats had to be removed which slightly brought down the capacity size. 43 luxury boxes were also renovated and some were converted in to party suites which can accommodate up to 150 people. The Rogers Centre became a completly smoke free building in 2006. Location: Rogers Centre is located in the heart of the entertainment district of downtown Toronto at the corner of Front and John Streets, west of the CN Tower. Rogers Centre is just a short walk from Union Station (subway and train station), just north of Toronto’s Harbourfront. Rogers Centre is also accessible from Lakeshore Blvd. at the Spadina Avenue exit.

1976-present	Historic Timeline	2428-2469 (.496)	73,065,665

Year	Information	Results	Attendance
2008		?	?
2007		83-79 (.512)	2,360,648
2006		87-75 (.537)	2,302,182
2005		80-82 (.494)	2,014,995
2004		67-94 (.416)	1,900,041
2003	Roy Halladay - Cy Young	86-76 (.531)	1,799,458
2002	Eric Hinske - Rookie of Year	78-84 (.481)	1,637,900
2001	25th Anniversary	80-82 (.494)	1,915,438
2000	Rogers Communications Inc. Purchases The Team	83-79 (.512)	1,819,883
1999		84-78 (.519)	2,163,486
1998	Rogers Clemens - Cy Young	88-74 (.543)	2,454,283
1997	Rogers Clemens - Cy Young	76-86 (.469)	2,589,297
1996	Pat Hentgen - Cy Young	74-88 (.457)	2,559,573
1995		56-88 (.389)	2,826,483
1994		55-60 (.478)	2,907,933
1993	World Series Champions	95-67 (.586)	4,057,947
1992	World Series Champions	96-66 (.593)	4,028,318
1991	Hosted All Star Game	91-71 (.562)	4,001,527
1990		86-76 (.531)	3,885,284
1989	Skydome Opens	89-73 (549)	3,375,883
1988		87-75 (.537)	2,595,175
1987	George Bell - MVP	96-66 (.593)	2,778,429
1986		86-76 (.531)	2,455,477
1985	Bobby Cox - Manager of Year	99-62 (.615)	2,468,925
1984		89-73 (.549)	2,110,009
1983		89-73 (.549)	1,930,415
1982	Bobby Cox's First Season As Manager	78-84 (.481)	1,275,978
1981	A fan was born (Me)	37-69 (.349)	755,083
1980		67-95 (.414)	1,400,327
1979	Alfredo Griffin - Rookie of Year	53-109 (.327)	1,431,651
1978		59-102 (.366)	1,562,585
1977	Inaugural Season	54-107 (.335)	1,701,052
1976	American League Votes To Expand To Toronto	N/A

Managerial History
Year	Name	Record W-L (.PCT)
1977-1979	Roy Hartsfield	163-309 (.345)
1978	Harry Warner	3-9 (.250)
1980-1981	Bobby Mattick	104-164 (.388)
1982-1985	Bobby Cox	355-292 (.549)
1986-1989	Jimmy Williams	281-241 (.537)
1991, 94	Gene Tenace	21-15 (.583)
1989-1997	Cito Gaston	681-635 (.517)
1997	Mel Queen	4-1 (.800)
1998	Tim Johnson	88-74 (.543)
1999-2000	Jim Fregosi	167-157 (.515)
2001	Cookie Rojas	1-2 (.333)
2001-2002	Buck Martinez	99-113 (.467)
2002-2004	Carlos Tosca	189-191 (.497)
2004-present	John Gibbons	187-187 (.500)